Real Tamale United reality
This is Real Tamale United before the Aduana tie: after 20 games, 5 wins, 6 draws, 9 defeats, 21 goals scored and 25 conceded. In their last 7 games, they had suffered 4 defeats and 3 draws. Simply, Real Tamale was not good enough when facing in form Aduana Stars. Aduana on the other hand was enjoying a four-game winning streak and it was always going to be a difficult fixture for Real Tamale.
Real Tamale United must face reality and improve upon its performance.
What happened at the Aliu Mahama Sports Stadium?
On Sunday, Real Tamale United acted very unprofessionally, embarrassing and horrible against Aduana. Referee Emmanuel Adu Quansah received some beatings as well as his other assistants Courage Kuedufia and Jaspa Adenyo.
RTU fans accused the referee and his assistants to be unfair and have denied them penalties hence they decided to put the laws into their own hands by beating the officials.
They even had the guts to break into the inner-perimeter of the stadium and attacked the match officials.
The game ended 1-1. Baba Kushibi opened the scoring for RTU in the 32nd minute and Eric Kwakwa equalised in the 71st minute for the away side.
What exactly did the officials do to deserve that barbaric act? Why have some Ghanaian football fans decided to not understand football since it turned professional many years ago in the country?
Football fans in the country need massive education
Everyday Ghanaian football fan thinks that the only way to punish a referee is by manhandling him when he makes any mistake. Strikers miss golden opportunities, defenders naively receive inexcusable red cards, coaches make calamitous changes yet all of them are forgiven but when a referee makes mistake, barbaric fans want to finish them. Football stakeholders in the country must make it a priority to educate their players, coaching staff, management and fans on why it is important to not attack referees regardless of the mistake. Stakeholders should make fans aware that referees are like presidents, judges, teachers, pastors, chiefs and engineers on the field because, without them, there will be unrest on the pitch so they ought to be revered.
What kind of punishment will be enough
Real Tamale fans physically attacked referee Emmanuel Adu Quansah for being biased towards them. Ghana Football Association should also attack RTU by making them pay a hefty fine. They should be made to play their home games at Baba Yara Sports Stadium in Kumasi for the rest of the season and all behind closed doors. If possible 6 points must be deducted from the 21 they have accrued so far.
These kinds of punishments will deter other teams from all divisions including Sunday Special teams from assaulting referees.
What next for referees
Ghanaian Referees must force the FA to provide them with enough security at any venue in any competition.
Our referees should be bold enough to boycott games involving any team that will try to abuse them physically. They should demand the prosecution of anyone caught assaulting them physically.
Referees should also request their salaries to be paid on time.
Are referees not human beings? We should be thankful that some people have dedicated their lives to the game in this country. We live in a country where referees can go a full 3 months without being paid yet still find their ways to travel across the length and breadth of the country to officiate games.
Is it not absurd how some referees are suspended for more than 10 games when they make mistakes but abusive football fans do not face any sanctions at all?
It is no funnier anymore regarding how our referees are ill-treated. It is high time the FA brought an end to the abuse of referees.
Source: Amakye Ansah
