Countryman Songo has used his Fire for Fire platform on Adom TV to launch a scathing attack on John Paintsil, the newly appointed assistant coach of the Black Stars.
Known for his unconventional style of sports presentation, Countryman Songo wasted no time criticizing Paintsil during the show, making derogatory remarks and directly questioning his commitment to the ‘Save Ghana Football’ demonstration that occurred a few weeks ago.
It is worth recalling that this protest, which commenced at the Obra Spot near the Kwame Nkrumah Interchange, witnessed demonstrators marching through the main streets towards Black Star Square.
The protesters were demanding that the necessary actions be taken to ensure Ghana regains its status as a football powerhouse.
Prominent figures such as Saddick Adams (Sports Obama), Patrick Osei Agyemang (Countryman Songo), Collins Atta Poku, and Veronica Commey spearheaded this demonstration, advocating for better management of football in Ghana.
The primary objective of this protest was to exert pressure on the Ghana Football Association (GFA), the Ministry of Youth and Sports, and other football stakeholders to implement reforms that would enhance the performance of the sport.
During the protest, a petition was presented to the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, outlining crucial reforms that need to be implemented. These reforms include the development of a national football policy and the establishment of a commission of inquiry to investigate the underperformance of the national teams.
Additionally, the protesters emphasized the importance of accountability in the allocation of funds generated from tournaments like the World Cup, as well as the dissolution of management committees for national teams.
However, John Paintsil undermined the significance of the demonstration a few days later and further infuriated Ghanaians by stating on UTV that there was no issue with football in Ghana.
The former defender emphasized the need for clarity on the subject, asserting that the Black Stars’ shortcomings in recent tournaments do not sufficiently prove the deteriorating condition of football in the nation.
“I need to know the point of the demonstration. If it’s Ghana football, then we are not talking about the national team. The national team comes once every four months,” John Paintsil said.
“Even when we talk about the Black Stars, they qualified for the World Cup. We have to see that we are still building. It’s not the responsibility of the FA to look after local-based players. It’s up to the teams to develop well,” Paintsil said.
He said, “Every national team coach has a philosophy, and they want to do well to improve their CV. It’s not the FA who determines which local player is called. The so-called interference is hearsay; there is no truth in that.”
It’s on this note that Countryman Songo, in a personal manner, directed a barrage of offensive language towards John Paintsil, using extreme invectives that have been deemed by certain individuals, including on-air personality Caleb Nii Boye, as crossing the line.
