Sports
Dwamena, choose life over football!
This is not how a top striker may want to hang his boots and bid an untimely farewell to the beautiful game.
But sometimes, much as one may try to fight off the tempest in the most bravado of styles, nature also has its way of dealing with matters.
It may fair; it might be unfair. But that is nature.
So, it came to pass that one of the nation’s fine strikers – Raphael Dwamena, nearly three weeks ago, collapsed while in action for Blau-Weiß Linz in an Austrian Cup match against Hartberg FC.
The player reportedly clutched his chest in the opening half and slumped onto the turf – battling desperately for survival. Heartily, paramedics on duty salvaged the situation and he was whisked to the hospital for further attention. He survived the scare!
This is not the first time Dwamena had been hit by such a heart-related incident.
In 2019, the striker suffered a new heartbreaking setback to his career as Spanish club Zaragoza detected an unknown heart problem during a routine medical check.
Indeed, this is the third time Dwamena had faced serious health problems – with English side Brighton pulling out of a deal to sign the striker from Swiss side FC Zurich because he failed a medical earlier.
Indeed, he had to stop playing for a while because of the risk of suffering a heart attack.
In 2017, Dwamena’s desire to play in the English premiership fell through because of his heart problem. He had agreed on personal terms with the English Premier League side Brighton and Holves Albion after they had a bid, reported to be around 15m euros (£13.8m), accepted by his Swiss club.
Sadly, Brighton had no choice but to back out and wished Dwamena well, having realised his situation was grave.
This latest incident in Austria must be the strongest possible warning to the player to, perhaps, stay off the game lastingly before it becomes a day late and a dollar short.
Dwamena is said to have been advised to hang up his boots permanently, but after a year, he doggedly decided to throw caution to the wind. Now, a renewed warning has been thrown in.
“After what has happened, Raphael will have to seriously assess his future as a player. He has already realised all this,” Sporting Director of Blau-Weiß Linz, warned.
The former Ghana Red Bull Academy top goal-poacher was called into Black Stars’ 30-man squad for the 2017 African Cup of Nations but was dropped after the squad had been slashed.
Dwamena, however, made his international debut in June 2017 in an African Cup of Nations qualifier against Ethiopia, where he scored a brace to mark the new era of youngsters being introduced into the national team. But just as he was being tipped to take over from legend scorer Asamoah Gyan, his heart issue popped up strongly – leaving the national selectors with a Hobson’s choice.
Much as we would have loved Dwamena to recover fully, dash to the field, pick a fine fettle of form and possibly make a triumphant return into the Black Stars, it is limpidly clear, destiny would not allow him any further as medical reports had suggested.
In March 2012, 24-year-old Bolton midfielder Fabrice Muamba announced his retirement from football, after he collapsed and suffered a cardiac arrest during his club’s FA Cup quarter-final tie with Tottenham Hotspur.
After being discharged from the hospital, Muamba traveled to Belgium to have minor heart surgery, which was said to have been routine and had no bearing on whether the player would return to action.
But Muamba said he received advice during his time there, prompting his retirement.
“Since suffering my heart attack and being discharged from hospital, I had remained utterly positive in the belief that I could one day resume my playing career and play for Bolton Wanderers once again,” said Muamba in a statement.
“As part of my ongoing recovery, I traveled to Belgium to seek further medical advice from a leading cardiologist. But the news I received was obviously not what I had hoped it would be and it means I am now announcing my retirement from professional football.”
Hope this would serve as timely advice for Dwamena.
Certainly, it was not the way he had envisaged to end his career, but sometimes, that is how hard and unfair life can be. It is a difficult decision to take, especially when the player believes he has lots of energy and football bottled up in his willing body.
Dwamena, it is over to you to choose life over death! Please, choose life – like Muamba did.
PlainTalk with John Vigah
From June 2004 to the latter parts of 2005, when Ghana secured qualification to her first senior FIFA World Cup, it generated an unending party mood among soccer enthusiasts.
Visualising dicey clashes with some of the world heavyweights, delight, high expectation, anxiety, and glee had the better part of fans. The fans cared less about which set of players constituted the team for the Germany 2006 showpiece. All that mattered was how the Black Stars coped at the highest stage of association football.
Maybe, realising that the constitution of the team was the preserve of the Head Coach, his Technical Team, and the Ghana Football Association (GFA), fans only cared about the entertainment aspect of it. All over the streets in the country, replica jerseys of the Black Stars became the most sought-after commodity, with fans paying a lot of Cedis to lay a hand on one.
Twenty years down the line, the desire to play at that level of football still appeals to football lovers; so when the Black Stars sealed its fifth qualification about a month ago, fans showed that excitement. The next edition is easily referred to as the ‘America, Canada, Mexico dream’ World Cup. The desire to be part of it is even greater than the maiden edition—for reasons unknown.
But unlike previous editions, fans have shown a lot more concern about personnel selected to don the national jersey this time, especially after speculation about an intent to get some new players to strengthen the squad. The names of Nottingham Forest winger Hudson Odoi and Crystal Palace striker Eddie Nketiah have been on the lips of many for this reason. They are alleged to be the next set of players to be included in the team for the showpiece, in a bid to strengthen the squad.
This is not a new practice with the Ghana team. In fact, it is very common with national teams across the globe. As recently as last Friday, DR Congo announced a team for the impending World Cup play-off, including as many as three Belgian under-21 internationals in a 25-man squad.
The Belgian trio are attacking midfielder Mario Stroeykens, who at 21 has already captained Brussels giants Anderlecht; winger Michel-Ange Balikwisha from Celtic in Scotland; and Standard Liège goalkeeper Matthieu Epolo, who only last month sat on the bench for Belgium’s under-21.
Prior to the latest addition, players like Brian Cipenga from Spanish club Castellón had joined the Leopards squad only last month for the final World Cup group qualifiers as a late injury replacement. The FA of DR Congo is also in support of any intention by Coach Sébastien Desabre to cast his net over a wider array of talent.
Ghana’s case is not so different. It started with the current coach of the team, Otto Addo, who joined in the latter stages of qualifiers to the Germany World Cup. The next edition was the ‘African World Cup’ hosted by South Africa in 2010. That period witnessed the inclusion of Kevin-Prince Boateng and Quincy Owusu-Abeyie, two Ghanaian players of German and Netherlands ancestry.
Adam Kwarasey may have also played a role in the journey to the Brazil 2014 FIFA World Cup, but he was obviously a fresh face in the squad. Then came the Qatar edition in 2022, which saw the Black Stars’ door opened to players such as Tariq Lamptey, Inaki Williams, Mohammed Salifu, Dennis Odoi, Alexander Djiku, and Antoine Semenyo. Although they were new faces, most of them participated in qualifiers.
That explains the apprehension regarding the alleged attempts to add Nketiah and Hudson-Odoi to the squad. As Head Coach, Otto Addo is free to make decisions on a purely tactical basis. Others have objected on moral grounds, arguing that it is important to reward committed and dedicated players who travelled all around the continent for the qualifiers.
But to think that when these two appeared to be at the peak of their careers there was no interest to feature for the Black Stars, one is then forced to ask: why the sudden interest now, if indeed there is an interest?
By Andrew Nortey
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The 50th Sports Writers Association of Ghana (SWAG) Awards is set to sparkle as award-winning Afropop icon, Stonebwoy, joins the celebration as the headline act.
The half-century milestone confirms an unprecedented union of sporting excellence and explosive musical entertainment, promising an atmosphere of unbridled excitement.
Stonebwoy, one of Ghana’s most celebrated global icons, masterfully blends reggae, dancehall, and Afrobeats to deliver performances that are both culturally vibrant and deeply soulful.
His career trajectory, marked by relentless drive, international collaborations, and numerous accolades, mirrors the dedication and success of the sportsmen and women being honored.
As a prominent cultural ambassador for Ghana, the leader of Bhim Nation brings a massive platform and an infectious energy capable of uniting the diverse attendees—from decorated former champions to current record-breakers and respected dignitaries.
The Golden Jubilee SWAG Awards aim to celebrate outstanding athletes, honor the legacy of past legends, and inspire the next generation of sporting stars. This context makes Stonebwoy’s role particularly crucial, as he will provide the soundtrack to triumph—a vibrant, modern score that reflects the high aspirations of the nation.
The two-time TGMA Artist of the Year is expected to be the capstone event dedicated to five decades of sporting glory, leaving an indelible mark on the memories of all patrons.
By combining the gravitas of Ghana’s most prestigious sports awards with the magnetic charisma of one of Africa’s biggest musical exports, the Golden Jubilee SWAG Awards are set to become a historical convergence point.
The SWAG is grateful to GCB Bank, National Petroleum Authority, Stanbic Bank, Ghana Free Zones Authority, OmniBSIC Bank, SIC Insurance, Lufart, Goldbod, KGL, Phoenix Insurance, among others.
–GNA
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