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Ghana Sports news

Hull upset Leicester in EPL opener

Defending champions of the English Premier League, Leicester City today started the 2016/2017 season with 2-1 defeat to premier league returnees, Hull City at the KCOM Stadium. 

Messi in retirement U-turn

For "the love of the country", Lionel Messi has made a U-turn on his decision to retire from international football.

Pogba banned for Man United Opener – FA

Manchester United’s new signing Paul Pogba is suspended for his side’s Premier League opener at Bournemouth on Sunday, England’s Football Association announced on Friday.

Rio Olympics witnesses increased number of LGBT athletes

It's likely to prove one of Rio 2016's most memorable moments and it has nothing to with the winning of medals.

 

While rugby player Isadora Cerullo didn't secure a bronze, silver or gold medal, she won a partner for life after girlfriend Marjorie Enya, a volunteer at the 2016 Olympics, proposed to her in front of teammates, volunteers and media. Without hesitation Cerullo said yes and the Rio Games had it's first marriage proposal.

SEE: Armenian dislocates elbow during weightlifting event at Rio 2016

20-year-old Armenian weightlifter Andranik Karapetyan crashed out of the Olympics in agony after he suffered a terrible elbow dislocation during the 77kg weightlifting event. Described as one of the favorites at the event, his left elbow gave way during a second attempt to lift 195kg (429lbs).

Here’s Simone Biles: The U.S teen with 14 gold medals in gymnastics

A Black-American teenage girl, Simone Biles is making history in the world of gymnastics. She is 3 times reigning world champion and has 14 gold medals at the international level to her credit. Also, she is a proud winner of 10 gold medals since 2013. Biles’ success in the Olympic Games at Rio de Janeiro will make her the fought straight American to will the Olympic all-around gold.

GFA Prez sues Countryman Songo, Abatey for defamation

Two sports presenters, Patrick Osei- Agyemang aka 'Countryman Songo' and Kofi Asare Brako aka 'Abatey', as well as their media outfit Multimedia Group Limited (MGL) have been sued by Ghana Football Association (GFA) President, Kwesi Nyantakyi for defamation.

Find out what’s ‘The Ayew Method’

A year ago after Andre Ayew signed for Swansea, I tweeted this.

Andre Ayew will play just one season at Swansea.Mark this.

A year, 12 goals and 2 assists later , I have been proven right as West Ham have splurged £20m on the Ghana forward to make him the club's record signing. Not bad for a 26-year-old footballer whose best position is still up in the air.

The purpose of this article though is not to purr about the qualities of Ayew the footballer. That is not in doubt. It is to highlight a skill he has mastered throughout his career that other players from Ghana can learn from; playing the transfer market.

The European transfer market is a land mine for even the best represented and managed players but it is one that Ayew and his family have mastered.

The past few years has seen good Ghanaian players involved in transfers across Europe that later turn out poorly. Their development is stagnated leading to diminished value on the market. For the average Ghanaian player, the considerations in a transfer are purely financial which is understandable.

There is very little factoring about playing time, development as well as money. The result is the litany of disappointing transfer business highly talented Ghanaian players have been engaged in over the past half-decade or so.

This is where what I call the Ayew Method is informative.

Ayew's bloodline guaranteed that he would always have a shot at a decent career at Olympique Marseille but that was never taken for granted. After breaking through Ghana's senior national team as a doe-eyed 17 year old, he sought out a learning school by joining Lorient on loan for a season in 2008.

He returned to Marseille a better player but discovered he would not get as many chances in the first team. With a World Cup in the offing, Ayew left Marseille and the Ligue 1 to play for Ligue 2 side Arles Avignon. That was his finishing school as he led the team back to Ligue 1 and also put in impressive performances at the World Cup in 2010.
With experience and his added value from the World Cup, Marseille had no choice than to make him an integral part of their team.

Fast forward to 2015 and Ayew had come to the end of his impressive Marseille career. Reports had it Roma were favorites to land him with offers of Champion League football.
Arsenal and West Ham were also in the race at the time. Not a hard choice for the average Ghanaian player but the Ayew Method again differed and a little Welsh club won the race for his signature.

Andre chose Swansea because he knew he would get as many opportunities to establish himself in a difficult league while still getting paid. Success there would mean he could move to a bigger club on his own terms and hey presto! A year later he has done just that by joining West Ham at a definitive time in the history of the club.

The Ayew method is not hard to apply. It only takes a sound advisor, a player willing to make sacrifices and genuine talent to boot. I hope a lot more Ghanaian players take that path.

Godfred Akoto Boafo/pulse.com.gh

Jon Benjamin delighted with Dede Ayew's West Ham move

Ghana deputy captain Andre 'Dede' Ayew joined West Ham United for a record fee of £20.5 million from Swansea City on Monday, signing a four-year contract which the British High Commissioner to Ghana Jon Benjamin describes as an excellent move.