Nearly a year after making a mockery of former Manchester United captain, Harry Maguire, following his series of poor performances for the Premier League giants, Ghanaian MP, Isaac Adongo, has tendered an apology to the Englishman.
Punch Metro recalls that Adongo, around December 2022, took the parliament through a Trevor Noah session as he compared the Ghanaian Vice-President Mahamudu Bawumia’s economic management with Maguire’s abysmal display on the pitch.
Maguire became infamous for howlers, own goals, and poor performances during a torrid spell under then-managers Ole Gunner Solskjaer and interim manager, Ralf Ragnick, who concluded that the club needed an open surgery.
BBC reported that Mr Bawumia is the head of the government’s economic management team as Ghana faces its most severe economic crisis in years.
As government debt has soared, the country had to take a $3bn (£2.4bn) loan from the International Monetary Fund and in December 2022 inflation in Ghana reached a record 54% but has since fallen to around 35%.
Maguire who joined Man Utd for a record £80m from Leicester City strolled into the club’s starting eleven and was named club captain months after his arrival but appeared crushed under the weight of the responsibility, becoming a fox that spoilt the vine at Old Trafford.
However, Adongo, while addressing the Ghanaian parliament during the 2023 budget debate accused Dr Bawumia of being an “economic Maguire” while referencing the Man United flop.
Adongo said that Maguire was once “tackling everybody and throwing his body everywhere… he was seen as the best defender in the world and he quickly “became the biggest threat at the centre of the Manchester United defence.
“[He was] tackling Manchester players and giving assists to opponents. Mr Speaker, when you see the opponents go to score, Maguire will score for them,” Mr Adongo continued.
“Mr Speaker,” he added, “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.”
“The same economic Maguire was at Central University delivering lectures on how to restore the value of the Cedi [Ghana’s currency]. Mr Speaker, why we gave this Maguire the opportunity to be at the centre of our defence, he became the rest of our own goals.”
Bawumia is ‘Economic Maguire’, he is scoring own goals – MP, Bolgatanga Central, Isaac Adongo. #AMShow pic.twitter.com/fMvOLaCLHs
— JoyNews (@JoyNewsOnTV) December 1, 2022
However, Maguire was put out of his misery when current Man United’s new manager, Erik ten Hag, relieved him of the captaincy role after the end of last season and he was replaced by Portuguese star Bruno Fernandes.
Maguire who was almost forced out of the club has since, to the surprise of many, regained the trust of both the manager and the fans.
United who sit currently sixth on the EPL log with seven wins and five defeats in their poorest start to the season in the club’s history has been pivotal to the club both in the heart of the injury-plagued defence and up front with the club’s strikers enduring a goal drought.
MP Adongo who appeared convinced with Maguire’s resurgence has since tendered an apology to the Man United star who he described as a ‘transformational footballer’.
However, the MP maintained that the Ghanaian VP remains an economic Maguire.
While hailing Maguire on Tuesday, Adongo added that the defender was a “key player” for Manchester United, Mr Adongo said during a budget debate.
“As for our Maguire(Bawumia), he is now at the IMF, with a cup in hand,” he added.
A Ghanaian🇬🇭 Member of parliament Isaac Adongo apologises to Manchester United’s footballer Harry Maguire after mocking him last year and comparing his performances on the pitch to Ghana’s Vice-President Mahamudu Bawumia’s economic management, @BBCNews
— Kennedy Wandera (@KennedyWandera_) November 22, 2023
