English Premier League side Manchester United’s defender, Harry Maguire, finally accepted an apology issued by a Ghanaian member of Parliament, Isaac Adongo, who initially used his perceived poor performance on the pitch as an analogy to speak on the country’s Vice President Maamudu Bawumia’s poor economic management capabilities.
“MP Issac Adongo apology accepted . See you at Old Trafford soon 🤝😊,” said Mr Maguire on November 22, 2023.
Earlier in the day, MP Adongo issued the apology while on the floor of the Parliament, saying Maguire had turned the corner and is now a transformational footballer.
“Speaker, you remember that last year, I was very quick to compare my big brother, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia to Harry Maguire. Mr Speaker, I’m now apologising to Harry Maguire. Honorable…., you got very angry when I used your defender as an example. Today, Maguire has turned a corner and he is a transformational footballer. Harry Maguire is now scoring goals for Manchester United. He is now a key player for Manchester United.
As for our ‘Maguire (the VP), he is now roaming at the IMF (International Monetary Fund) with a cup in hand. Our economic Maguire now was able to get pensioners to leave their homes and come and parade in the streets ,” said MP Adongo in part.
Last year, MP Adongo hit out at VP Bawumire, who is head of the government’s economic management team, for the country’s severe economic crisis. The comparison to Maguire came at a time when the defender was facing global criticism for his inconsistent performances, forcing Coach Erik Ten Hag to regularly bench him.
“If you are a fan of football, and I was happy to see the jubilation when Ghana won, but there was a player in the United Kingdom, in England called Maguire who was playing for Manchester United,” Adongo told the Ghana parliament at the time.
“Harry Maguire, he’s a defender. He was tackling everybody and throwing his body everywhere. He was seen as the best defender in the world, Manchester United was at the bottom.
“He became the biggest threat at the centre of the Manchester United defence, tackling Manchester players and giving assists to opponents. Mr Speaker, when you see the opponents go to score, Maguire will score for them.”
“Mr Speaker, you remember in this country we also have an economic Maguire. This economic Maguire, we’re clapping saying this man is the best in managing foreign terms,” Adongo said.
Manchester United bought Maguire, an English national, for 80 million pounds (Sh 15.2 billion). He is one of the most expensive defenders after he was acquired from Leicester City. He accepted the Ghanaian MP’s apology on his X account which boasts 2.2 million followers. He was lauded for being gracious enough to accept it despite ongoing criticism of his football capabilities.
