Former Ghanaian international footballer, Charles Taylor, has advised Daniel Afriyie Barnieh to seek the help of a psychologist following his lackluster performance.
The former Hearts of Oak striker received criticism for his uninspiring display during the U-23 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) match against Congo on Sunday.
Barnieh was substituted at halftime, and his replacement, Emmanuel Yeboah, gained attention for scoring two goals, leading the Black Meteors to a 3-2 victory in their opening game.
Taylor attributes Barnieh’s decline in form to his struggles at the club level. Since joining FC Zurich in Switzerland, Barnieh has only played six games, two for the senior team and four for the U-21 team.
His difficulties in finding his footing there have contributed to his loss of form, which earned him a place in Ghana’s squad for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
“He has lost focus on the field. Unless he receives proper psychological support, his performance could deteriorate even further. If you compare his previous performances to his current state, he may even fare worse than Adiyiah,” Taylor commented on Angel TV.
Taylor draws a parallel between Barnieh’s situation and that of Dominic Adiyiah, whose career took an unexpected downturn after his standout performance in the 2009 U-20 World Cup and subsequent move to AC Milan. Barnieh captained Ghana to victory in the U-20 Africa Cup of Nations in Mauritania two years ago.
“Adiyiah’s situation was relatively better. Let’s consider how many matches Afriyie Barnieh has played since joining FC Zurich. We need to question what happened to him after his arrival in Zurich. He requires guidance to focus on moving forward and avoid dwelling on past glories. He is just starting out, which is why he needs to give more,” Taylor added.
Barnieh will have an opportunity to perform better today when the Black Meteors face the host country, Morocco, in their second Group A game. Kick-off is scheduled for 20:00 GMT.
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