Marseille assistant coach Passi tells Jordan Ayew to grow up quickly

Published on: 02 March 2013

Marseille assistant coach Franck Passi has told tempestuous forward Jordan Ayew that his father and OM legend Abedi Pele would not be proud of him following the youngster's recent ill-tempered outbursts.

Ayew, 21, provoked an angry reaction from David Beckham after clashing with the Paris Saint-Germain star in Wednesday's Coupe de France defeat at the Parc des Princes, sparking an unsightly melee involving players and staff from both sides.

It was the Ghanaian international's first appearance after being suspended for a red card picked up in a league game at Evian, where Ayew was booked twice for two rash challenges within 111 seconds of coming off the bench.

"I know his dad, Abedi, well. I imagine that his father isn't proud of what he's seeing," Passi, who played alongside Ayew's father at OM during the 1987/88 Ligue 1 season, said.

"Sometimes, he's a little irritable on the pitch. He was coming back from suspension. He wanted to show what he can do and get things going, and that translates into a little bit of anger. He's a young player, but he's going to have to mature quickly so that he can show his qualities as a footballer."

Ayew, whose elder brother, Andre, also plays for OM, has become an integral part of Elie Baup's squad at the Stade Velodrome over the last two seasons, and his emergence was a key factor in the club allowing Loic Remy to leave for Queens Park Rangers in January.

"We know a different Jordan to other people. He's a real footballer with great qualities," Passi continued. "It's clear that we're not going to give up on him given his potential." He added:

"I think we'll manage to help him become mature enough so that he can control himself."

Source: ESPNSoccernet.com

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