Ghana players donated a combined sum of GHC 10,000 towards the recovery costs of the sick Joseph “Baby Joe” Tagoe, Footy-Ghana reported on Monday.
Tagoe, a well-known entertainer of the Black Stars known for his homourous dancing and crying, fell ill in the months prior to the World Cup and has over the last few weeks been left bed-ridden at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Kumasi after a surgery.
Footy-Ghana claim that the 24-man Ghana team that played Uganda during an Afcon 2015 qualifier in Kumasi on Saturday each forfeited their $100 per diem allowance in an effort to gather funds to donate to Tagoe.
This followed a pledge last May by captain Asamoah Gyan join forces with his teammates to provide financial assistance to the once energetic Baby Joe – also often referred to as “Ojoe Mensu” [Joe don’t cry].
The report also claims Ghana coach James Kwesi Appiah and his assistant Maxwell Konadu donated a sum of GHC 1000 earlier in the week after a visit to Tagoe.
It remains to be seen if this commendable gesture will win the Stars some hearts after what has been a nightmarish last few weeks for them, facing increasing public hostility after their chaotic campaign at the World Cup in Brazil.