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Swansea Should Discipline Andre Ayew For Transfer Comments

By Rucker Haringey

Jun 16, 2014; Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, BRAZIL; Ghana midfielder Andre Ayew (10) celebrates his goal against the United States during the second half of their 2014 World Cup game at Estadio das Dunas. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 16, 2014; Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, BRAZIL; Ghana midfielder Andre Ayew (10) celebrates his goal against the United States during the second half of their 2014 World Cup game at Estadio das Dunas. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports /
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Swansea ownership should be furious at Ayew for recent comment about moving away from Swans

Swansea attacker Andre Ayew should be ashamed of himself. Only six months after his arrival at the Premier League club he’s talking about how he has ambitions to move away. It won’t happen, but Swansea’s ownership should step up and take punitive action against the Ghana International.

I know I know, modern football is a business and we shouldn’t be surprised when players fail to show any loyalty to their club. Still, there’s a fine line between loyalty and just common courtesy. Ayew crossed that line when he announced his availability to the world. He had the audacity to thank Swansea for “giving him everything” while saying that now he is ambitious and will see what happens in the very next breath. What an absolute clown.

Ayew has been a bright spot for the disappointing Swans on the season. He is their highest rated player per Whoscored.com on the year and has tallied six goals for his side’s struggling offense. He’s been good for Garry Monk’s squad, but not great. He isn’t out-performing the club or anything like that. That’s what makes this so infuriating.

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It’s not his on the field contributions that should have Swansea’s owners angry. It’s his off the field idiocy. Premier League teams should be empowered to take corrective action when their players put themselves on the global market publicly as Ayew has done. I’m not sure what the right solution is in terms of what the corrective action should be, but how about a fine?

I suspect that players would be much more respectful of their employers if they knew any comments about switching clubs would cost them a week’s pay. Don’t ignore the fact that there’s a real cost to the club when a player like Ayew goes public. Not only do they lose money they have invested in the player, but such public agitations hurt their leverage in the transfer market.

For example, if Ayew had gone to Swansea in private and said he wanted to move away then the Swans could have had real leverage in selling him. Now that he’s gone and alerted the world that his head can easily be turned, they’re likely to receive a bevy of cut-rate offers. Swansea can’t afford to lose Ayew in the first place, they especially can’t afford to lose him on the cheap.

Perhaps I’m overreacting. I do think that Garry Monk is facing undeserved criticism at Swansea and this certainly won’t make his job any easier. Still though, we have to draw the line somewhere in terms of player decorum with the press. A player like Ayew who goes public about his willingness to move just six months after his arrival does not sit well with me.

Andre Ayew may get his move away from Swansea after his public comments, but I’d much rather see him put his head down and help pull the Swans out of their current doldrums. He should be much more focused on their Premier League position as opposed to changing clubs in January.

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