Football journalist Jerome Otchere has admonished Emmanuel Gyamfi to try as much as possible to hold his emotions during games after the Asante Kotoko attacker was charged with misconduct.
The talented winger is in danger of missing the biggest fixture of this season’s Ghana Premier League as he has been referred to the Disciplinary Committee for what the Ghana Football Association prosecutor believes was unacceptable behaviour.
Gyamfi stamped the foot of Inter Allies’ Andy Okpe in an off-the-ball incident in Kotoko’s 3-2 win over the relegation-threatened side in Dawu last Monday.
The unfortunate incident was missed by match officials but television cameras captured it, with Gyamfi widely criticized on social media.
If found guilty, he could be suspended from next week’s blockbuster between Asante Kotoko and Hearts of Oak at the Accra Sports Stadium.
Kotoko fans have said their assistant captain has been targeted in a calculated attempt by the GFA to favour Hearts and distract them as the tight title race nears the conclusion.
However, Otchere, a former Editor of Kotoko Express newspaper, completely disagrees.
Speaking on Saturday’s edition of TV3’s WarmUp+, Otchere, who was on the show with former Ghana defender John Paintsil and current striker Majeed Waris, disapproved of Gyamfi’s behaviour.
According to him, there have been other instances where Gyamfi, who should know better as a leader, has been captured behaving inappropriately.
Otchere warned that Gyamfi could land in serious trouble in future if he doesn’t stop.
“If you look at the Gyamfi incident, I have not played football like the way Majeed Waris and John Paintsil; the emotions will definitely get you to do something silly because we are humans but you have to put it under check, especially when you are the leader of the team,” Otchere said.
“I mean if it is a normal tackle in the course of the game… that’s why I have a problem with [Emmanuel] Gyamfi, not exactly what he did but the motives. It wasn’t in the course of the game to say there was an action or move that he wanted to stop the player. This one was off-the-ball. He checked no one was watching and then he stepped on him [Andy Okpe].
“I think when you do that the intent alone gives you away and that is why I have said that he needs to check it because this is not the first time he is doing that. There are videos that show he is done that two, three times. If you are not careful, you take it a notch higher and there the punishment will be higher than this,” he added.
Gyamfi’s deadline to file his defence was Friday, June 18, with verdict expected in the coming days.
The 26-year-old has 8 goals this season.