Sports
A scandalous season takes a bow
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What a season!
After a litany of controversies and contentions here and there, the 2021/22 Ghana Premier League (GPL) ‘curtained down’ last weekend with Kumas-based Asante Kotoko being crowned champions.
It was the club’s record-extending 25th championship diadem, gloriously clinched with three games to spare.
Kotoko’s arch rivals Hearts of Oak – who were the defending champions finished a distant sixth – and four adrift the new kings, as regards GPL coronets.
The biggest talking point on the weekend was Hearts’ 1-4 home loss to RTU who needed the result badly to survive. Inexplicably, it was the Phobians’ fourth straight defeat, an upshot that raises lots of probing question marks. Certainly, as defending champions, it was an embarrassing manner to surrender the title.
For the first time in eight years or so, the league’s most thrilling side – and the only representatives from the Volta Region, West Africa Football Academy (WAFA), also bade adieu to the top flight as they suffered the drop together with Eleven Wonders and Elmina Sharks.
It was also a season that witnessed one of the most shameful, despicable and probably the most horrifying football scandal that occurred between AshantiGold SC and Inter Allies whose fixed game has landed them in demotion to the lower tier. The two disgraced teams have appealed the decision, though.
Come to think of it, the goal-king came from the beleaguered AshantiGold whose striker Yaw Annor, banged home 22 goals to upstage Kotoko’s Cameroon import Mbella (21). To allow a club who were ‘sin-binned’ for bringing the game into disrepute to finish the season, in itself was unthinkable.
Anyway, we are told as GPL champions, Kotoko will receive $30,000. This amount, if it is anything to go by, is pure insult.
In other jurisdictions, even in the Sahel and Maghreb as well South Africa, players pocket close to $10,000 each for winning their respective leagues.
When it comes to competitions in Africa, the juicier it becomes, for players from such clubs.
For instance, each WAC of Morocco player received $30,000 for winning the Champion League trophy.
Truth is that our league would have become better if we had a headline sponsor; and this aberration is what managers of our domestic football should be working vigorously on ahead of next season.
If leagues in war-ravaged countries like Somalia, Ethiopia, Sudan and Niger among others, are able to attract major sponsors for their leagues, then it tells you there is something we may not have been doing right!
Is it that the Publicity and Marketing Department of the Ghana FA are dozing off on their job? Difficult to say now; but whatever be the case, the FA and their people must be up and doing.
Premier League Clubs spend averagely GH¢10,000 or more to prepare for games (especially when hitting the road). Multiply this amount by let us say 17 – representing away ties, and that is a massive outlay of cash even for clubs that seem to have some corporate financial backing.
Hope you are not losing sight of the winning bonuses in the mix?
It is much the reason the clubs are compelled to sell off some of their top players midstream in order to survive, ultimately depriving the league of the requisite excitement and thrill.
By extension, our league is increasingly surrendering what is left of it to the lures of foreign football simply because we keep losing our marquee players day-in-day-out!
As we have hammered number without end, nobody goes to the stadium to watch no one! At least, one stimulating player got to be the charm to pull the fans.
Perhaps, it is against this saturnine backdrop that former President of the GFA and now chairman of the Premier League Management Committee, LepowuraAlhaji MND Jawula, has sworn to do all in their power to get the premiership a mega sponsor before the new season rolls off.
Fetching a headline sponsor for our league is a sine qua non that has been taken for granted for a long time. It must not be the case!
However, we must also not lose sight of the fact that without organising a clean, well-managed league of integrity, no sponsor would be willing to come aboard.
Of course, no sponsor would want to be associated with a scandalized league, and our FA must work unremittingly to flush out that mortifying tag.
PlainTalk With John Vigah
Accra Hearts of Oak and Dreams FC will headline Matchday 5 of the Ghana Premier League when the two sides meet at the University of Ghana Sports Stadium tomorrow, with both clubs seeking a result that could shape their early season campaign.
The encounter comes at a crucial moment for the two sides with the Phobians looking to recover from their first defeat of the campaign and Dreams still searching for their first victory after four matches.
The Rainbow lads started the season strongly but were beaten 1-0 by Karela United last weekend, while Dreams suffered a slim 1-0 defeat to Bechem United.
Hearts had earlier recorded impressive victories over Berekum Chelsea and Bibiani Gold Stars before drawing goalless with Bechem United, leaving the club with seven points from their opening four matches.
Their defeat at Karela United, however, means they will be under pressure to quickly return to winning ways against a Dreams side determined to make home advantage count.
Dreams, meanwhile, have endured a difficult beginning to the campaign and will see tomorrow’s fixture as an opportunity to change their fortunes.
The ‘Still Believe’ side have collected points from only their opening draws and are yet to register a victory, making the meeting with one of the country’s traditional giants an important test of their character.
Elsewhere, Vision FC will welcome Bibiani Gold Stars to the Nii Adjei Kraku II Sports Complex today, with both teams looking to strengthen their positions.
Vision have shown encouraging form in the early stages, while Gold Stars will be seeking a response after suffering a 2-0 home defeat to newcomers Port City FC.
At the Debibi Presby Park, newly promoted Debibi United will face defending champions Medeama SC tomorrow.
Medeama finally opened their account with a convincing 4-1 victory over Basake Holy Stars and will be hoping that the result marks the beginning of a stronger title defence.
Port City FC will continue their impressive debut campaign when they host Bechem United at the Daasebere Boamah Darko II Park.
Basake Holy Stars will attempt to recover from their heavy defeat to Medeama when they host Berekum Chelsea at the Ampain AAK II Sports Arena.
Aduana FC will welcome Swedru All Blacks to the Nana Agyemang Badu I Park after producing one of the weekend’s most notable results last Sunday.
At the Kpando Stadium, Heart of Lions will host FC AshantiGold ’04 in another meeting between sides coming off victories.
FC Samartex 1996 will meanwhile welcome Young Apostles FC to the Nsenkyire Sports Arena, with the home side seeking to maintain their unbeaten start to the campaign.
By Enoch Ntiamoah Siaw
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Tuesday, September 29, 2026 would go into the annals of Ghana football as one of the darkest days for the Black Stars.
In an AFCON 2027 qualifier against The Gambia, the Black Stars did not only break the hearts of the fans, but conceded a defeat that left followers with sleepless nights.
Coming from a Matchday 1 defeat to the Elephants of La Cote d’Ivoire in Bouake, the outcome of the second game against The Gambia was one that was non-negotiable.
It had the ability to spark a revival to contend for one of the slots for the next AFCON showpiece.
The Gambia is a formidable side but definitely, not one to have frustrated Ghanaians to watch in pain and awe the Black Stars lose a game from a winning position.
That is a possibility in the game of football but when the stakes are high in such cases, it becomes unacceptable to the fans.
And grievously has Carlos Queiroz answered the massive call for his resignation.
At his post-match press conference, he made it clear that bowing out was the easiest decision but insisted that would not solve the myriad problems facing the Black Stars.
For the coach to be fired two days after that declaration raises a lot of concerns as he seem to be aware of existing problems the FA may even not know.
Unfortunately, coaches over the years have always been sacrificial lambs in situations of this nature but when he talks about particular problems affecting the team, his sack leaves much to be desired.
That aside, it is important to also take another look at the country’s pool of players, both local and foreign based.
Some of us have been advocates for forming the Black Stars around the ever-present local players who may lack the skill, finesse and flamboyance believed to give the foreign based players the edge over their local counterparts.
The locals, however, compensate that with their commitment and dedication.
Sadly, it appears this consistent call have fallen on deaf ears and no one wants to give any attention to that.
If the fear is that results would be poor, then that would be no excuse again following outcomes of the Stars in their last two games.
From what was witnessed in Bouake and Accra, one can confidently boast that there isn’t much difference between the foreign based players and the locals.
If there is any, it would probably be the treatment given to the two sets of players.
The call on the FA now is to give major consideration to the local players. Any coach that sees no good in the local players must have no business handling the national team.
That does not also shut the door on the ‘foreigners’. We witnessed how the early 90s teams were beautifully blended to have a formidable team.
It is time the FA goes back to the basics. With the locals, there can be more camps, leading to improved cohesion. Any foreign based player invited must settle into the team quickly and make a difference. That is the only way to rescue the Black Stars from its free fall.
By Andrew Nortey
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