Former Ghana referee G.K. Manu has defended match officials who handled the 2024/25 Ghana Premier League season, stating that they have been unfairly criticized despite doing their utmost best to apply the laws of the game correctly.
His comments come in the wake of intense backlash directed at referee Mohammed Misbau following the controversial match between Nations FC and Basake Holy Stars.
The game was marred by accusations of poor officiating, which ultimately led Nations FC to boycott the remainder of the fixture.
Speaking exclusively to Citi Sports, the retired referee acknowledged the challenges facing officials particularly the lack of adequate equipment but insisted that the referees are giving their best under difficult circumstances.
Basake Holy Stars vs Nation FC what’s this Ghana Football 😳 pic.twitter.com/oU3Kr6zE82
— CAPO DE SUPREMO ⚽️🔥 (@CapoDeSupremo) June 1, 2025
“Most of the Journalists are fanatics to the home team, so if it does not go very well, they will put the blame on the referee and that is the norm of the country. When you go to the Accra Sports Stadium likewise they put the blame on the referees.
“What about the coaches, what about the players on the pitch, so I am not saying no one should criticize the referees but rather they should be constructive criticisms rather than destructive ones.
he agrees that there are always blunders to officiating, which is the reason why these criticisms should be constructive so they can change for the better.
“We can not be one hundred percent as referees, after all we are humans. So if we are given these constructive criticisms, that will help because if all these criticisms are destructive towards referees ,who will listen to us , so the criticisms must be constructive” he added.
Meanwhile the Ghana Football Association’s Disciplinary Committee has handed down tough sanctions to Nations FC following their controversial abandonment of their Ghana Premier League (GPL) fixture against Basake Holy Stars. (Click highlighted text to read full story)
