Barely after establishing himself in the Ghana team against rising dissent, Ghanaian defender John Paintsil seems to have waved himself into new trouble after Ghana’s game against the Czech Republic.

The Israeli based player waved the blue and white Israeli flag as Ghanaian players celebrated a famous 2-0 win over Czech Republic.

His gesture which has won him friends in Israel has ruffled many feathers in the Arab world and sent the Ghana Football Association Public Relations machinery into full string.

GFA spokesman Randy Abbey told a packed news conference here in Wurtzburg that the player’s action had no political motives and did not in anyway represent the political position of the football association.

“The player thought waving the Israeli flag was acknowledging his fans in Israel where he plays his club football. He underestimated the implications of his actions because he is ignorant and naïve about international politics.

“But what he did does not represent the political views of the team, the Ghana Football Association or indeed the Ghana government. On behalf of the player we apologise to anyone who felt offended by the player’s actions.”

Paintsil’s flag waving antics happened when Ghana scored her first goal and then as the players celebrated their 2-0 win over the Czech Republic.

The player said he was only acknowledging his fans in Israel. I love the supporters in Israel so I decided to take out the flag," Paintsil said.

"I have played for Hapoel and Maccabi Tel Aviv and the supporters there always made me happy so I wanted to repay them."

The wave of the Israeli flag also won Ghana new fans at the world cup with the Israeli sports minister Ofir Pinis Pas declaring that Paintsil’s “gesture has warmed the heart of many in Israel and many of us have become Ghana supporters.”

Those Israeli fans will have to be in full voices when Ghana battle the USA on Thursady.

Without star midfielder Sulley Muntari and striker Asamoah Gyan, Thursday’s game will be a crunch one for the Stars but the team say they will be up for it.

“The USA play very good football so it is going to be a tough game and we expect it to be physical too. But we have to play as we did against the Czechs and Italians and I am in no doubt that we will go though with that”, Essien said.

“We have the Nations Cup episode at the back of our minds but I promise it will be a different story. We will win this match. We are putting the Czech game behind us and looking ahead now to what should be a difficult game against the USA.

The players are professionals and they know we are not through yet. We will be 100 per cent ready for that game”, Dujkovic said.