Sports
A scandalous season takes a bow
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
Sports
A walk to honour memory of late Nana Kwesi Gyan-Apenteng
A rare occasion to stay away from the air-conditioned offices, screens and other work demands was presented to journalists and staff of MTN on Saturday when they hit the streets of the capital for its annual health walk.
The participants who form the MTN Media Republic walked and worked out, climaxing it with an intense aerobic session. The entire exercise lasted for close to three hours.
The exercise is held bi-yearly for members of the Republic to make time out of their hectic schedules.
Saturday’s edition had the numbers in hundreds and was dedicated to the memory of a late member of the Republic, Nana Kwesi Gyan-Apenteng, a former Editor, National Media Commission chairman and a Communication Consultant.
He was the Apagyahene of Tafo Eti in the Eastern Region.
Under a decent weather, the members walked from the MTN Ghana office near Ridge and passed through areas such as the National Theatre, Ministries Police Station, Accra Sports Stadium, State House, and Police Headquarters and back to the starting point.
In separate interviews, members welcomed the initiative and called for its sustenance while paying tribute to the late member who showed loyalty and commitment to the group’s activities.
By Spectator Reporter
Sports
A final determined by Adaari?
Analysing an Asante Kotoko goal or penalty with a Phobian lense. It would surely be an exercise in futility. This is because no explanation would sound convincing to a Phobian.
That is an apt description of the scene witnessed after a controversial penalty was awarded Asante Kotoko late in their MTN FA Cup win over Division One League (DOL) side, Golden Kick last Sunday.
That is not to say that fans of the Oak tree are not reasonable, no, far from that; but followers of the game in Ghana would appreciate this analogy, owing to the huge rivalry that exists between them.
Let it also be on record that a few Red fans also expressed reservations over the decision.
Surrounded by numerous Golden Kick fans most of whom were genuine supporters of Hearts of Oak, bitter rivals of Asante Kotoko, referee Latif Abdul Adaari’s decision generated so much debates between them and the Reds faithful.
Interestingly, supporters put up sound arguments with different angles of the action that led to the penalty. Some shared the same videos but saw them differently.
But without a Video Assistant Referee (VAR), Adaari’s decision stood and Kotoko smiled home with a 10th FA Cup victory.
Had there been a VAR intervention, leading to a review and subsequent overturn of the decision, Kotoko fans would have definitely been up in arms, protesting vehemently like the Golden Kick disguised fans did.
But that is the beauty of football; momentarily dividing and the next moment uniting.
But for the controversy which is ongoing, Sunday’s game was by far the finest in the FA Cup finals witnessed in the last decade.
Kotoko were overwhelming favourites and Golden Kick massive underdogs.
However, the winners would be the first to admit that they were involved in a game of their lives.
Coach Karim Zito did not hide this fact. In a post-match interview, he stated “I am not surprised at all. I actually predicted it because it would have been better and more comfortable with a top division side. This is a DOL side with nothing to lose. Getting to the finals of the FA Cup is already an achievement. Playing Kotoko is another motivation. They have nothing to lose but have all to gain if they win.”
But in celebrating Kotoko, it is equally important to commend the effort of the Golden Kick side for their gallantry.
They proved that the class between the GPL and DOL is only vast on paper but slender on the pitch.
The likes of Kelvin Kofi Saaba, Roland Gripman, Owusu Dacosta, Paul Yeboah, Abdulai Zakari and Bless Ege clearly outshone their more experienced Kotoko stars.
Their pace, athleticism, control, dexterity and composure were superb, forcing the Porcupine Warriors to be unnecessarily physical to contain them.
While brooding over a lost opportunity to lay hand on a major silverware, Coach Fiifi Parker Hanson should feel worthy about the good work he is doing with this young generation of talents.
\He may have been undone by a contentious decision but what was seen from his charges will remain in the memory of football fans for a long time.
But the debate as to whether Adaari’s call was precise or erroneous would continue for a long time without answer
By Andrew Nortey
