Charles Taylor, a former Ghana international, has expressed criticism towards Daniel Afriyie Barnieh, the captain of the Black Meteors, following his underwhelming performance in Ghana’s narrow victory over Congo in the U-23 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
Barnieh, a former player for Hearts of Oak, was included in the starting lineup to lead the attack alongside Fatawu Issahaku and Ernserst Nuamah, who operated from the wings.
However, Barnieh failed to make an impression, leading coach Ibrahim Tanko to substitute him at halftime with Emmanuel Yeboah, who made an immediate impact with a brace and an assist, ultimately securing a 3-2 win for Ghana.
Taylor believes that Barnieh’s decline in form can be attributed to his past achievements. According to him, the forward lacks the drive to perform at his best in recent times due to his previous successes.
Taylor remarked, “Sometimes, when you achieve so much, the desire to strive for more diminishes. That seems to be the case with Afriyie Barnieh. He has become complacent due to his past accomplishments and has taken everything lightly. However, such an attitude cannot lead to success in football. If you become complacent in football, you will ultimately face disgrace.”
Ghana will face Morocco in their next game on Tuesday as they strive to secure a place among the top three teams in the competition, which would enable them to qualify for the upcoming Olympic Games.
