Sports
Brand new car for Best Referee not bad idea, but …
Debates about referee decisions are part of the unique culture of football for both players and supporters alike.
Mistakes as a referee, will always happen; such controversy keeps making football more fun to watch.
Indeed, referees have a split second to make a decision and will never always get it right. Of course, no one is calling for perfection. No one is flawless!
However, some of the referees make such atrocious decisions that make you wonder whether they are even fit enough to handle juvenile football.
Now, we have reached a stage where the centre-men should be given no room to make ‘killer’ mistakes and just walk away, leaving in their trail irreparable damage on the affected teams.
That is why one was thrilled by the announcement of the Ghana Football Association (GFA) that the Best Referee of the 2021/22 Premier League season would swagger away with a brand new car. It is good enough motivation.
According to the GFA, the prize will encourage referees to put their best foot forward in the upcoming league season which kicked off last Friday.
“For the Ghana Premier League (GPL), the best referee for the year will take home a car at the end of the season. I’m very sure that our referees will be happy,” said GFA President Kurt Okraku, during the GPL launch, three days ahead of the opener.
“The whole idea is to encourage our referees to be competitive and deliver top-notch performances over the course of the season,” he added.
About 90 Referees and Assistants were selected by the Referees Committee and underwent various training programmes for the 2021/22 campaign, and one expects to see a credible performance from them to make the game dirt-free and more enjoyable.
For such Nights-of-the-Whistle, they should not only be thinking about the ultimate prize (car), but be concerned about the image they live behind – several years after they had retired from the game.
Sixteen years after ‘hanging his famous whistle,’ Italian former football referee, Pierluigi Collina, is still broadly considered to be the best football referee of all time.
The instantly recognisable Collina, a no-nonsense Italian referee – known for his famous bald head and piercing eyes, remains one of the most respected figures in football, 16 years after handing in his shock resignation from officiating, aged 45.
In a glittering 28-year career of refereeing, he took charge of Champions League, World Cup and UEFA Cup finals but for many, it was Collina’s larger-than-life personality that earned him such a respected stature.
He demanded, and in turn, earned respect from players, managers and fans around the world.
If a player decided to misbehave, the Italian would take action, but he was always fair and reasonable.
“You have to be accepted on the field of play not because you are the referee, but because people trust you,” Collina said after retirement.
“This means you can reach the best result a referee can reach, which is to be accepted even when he is wrong.”
This calm but stern approach to officiating earned him FIFA’s “Best Referee of the Year” award six consecutive times between 1998 and 2003.
Indeed, he redefined a role that was previously seen by many as dull.
It is the hope of many that our referees would look up to Collina and some of the finest ‘centre-men’ in the business, to carve out their own niche.
As a matter of fact, we do not need referees to be baited with a brand new car to do their own job. It is not fair. Coming to the pitch with a clean intention of being professional and fair-minded to all, in itself, should serve as enough motivation.
Be that as it may, one can only wish the referees well and hope they repay the trust reposed in them by the FA and the football populace. They must endeavour not to be the reason for which many football enthusiasts would swear not to patronize local football. Again, that would be unjust.
Aside from that, referees would be saving themselves from the unwarranted physical attacks they are often subjected too on the field – and the bout of public criticisms, if they perform their duties proficiently. For now, the ball is in their court to prove us wrong.
PlainTalk with JOHN VIGAH
Sports
Black Starlets arrives in Morocco on U-17 AFCON mission …FA boss charges team to make Ghana proud
The Black Starlets, the national U-17 male team, have safely arrived in Casablanca ahead of the 2026 U-17 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
The team departed Accra on Wednesday, travelling with a 35-man contingent made up of 21 players and 14 officials, all focused on delivering a strong campaign on the continental stage.
They completed a smooth five-hour flight to Morocco, where final preparations will continue before the tournament kicks off.
The technical team is expected to fine-tune tactics and build cohesion among the squad as they gear up for the competition.
The Ghana Football Association (GFA) President, Mr Kurt Edwin Simeon-Okraku, was present at the Accra International Airport to bid farewell to the team.
Speaking during a brief farewell at the Airport, the FA President urged the team to carry a ‘never say die’ spirit into the competition.
President Simeon-Okraku emphasised the importance of mental strength and unity, particularly in difficult moments during matches. His message was inspired by the team’s recent friendly encounters against Cote d’Ivoire, where they bounced back strongly after an initial defeat.
“I’m very happy that when you lost to Cote d’Ivoire in your first game during your friendly matches, you were able to bounce back—not only to dominate but to outscore them in the second game,” he said. “I read a lot of meaning into that, and I want all of you to keep that in your heads—that, it’s not over until it’s all over,” he added.
The FA president stressed that the ability to respond positively to setbacks would be crucial in a tournament as competitive as the AFCON.
He encouraged the players to stay united and support one another when the pressure intensifies on the continental stage.
“When the chips are down, that’s when we need to hold each other together,” Okraku added. “So go out there and make Ghana proud.”
Ghana will compete in Group D alongside Algeria, Senegal, and South Africa, with their opening match scheduled for Thursday, May 14.
Twenty-three (23) players have been called up for this month’s international friendly against Mexico.
The squad is composed of star players from the domestic league and European leagues who are closely monitored by Coach Carlos Queiroz, as well as U-23 players who will soon represent Ghana in the upcoming Olympic Games qualifiers.
Notable names include Majeed Ashimeru, Felix Afena-Gyan, Razak Simpson, and Birmingham City’s Ibrahim Osman.
Ashimeru returns to action after a long spell on the sidelines due to a muscle injury that limited his appearances at both club and national level.
Also in the team is Felix Afena-Gyan, whose last appearance for Ghana was in May last year when he featured against Trinidad and Tobago in the Unity Cup in London.
Barcelona B’s Abdul Aziz Issah, Ebenezer Annan of AS Saint-Étienne, Ibrahim Osman of Birmingham City, and Paul Reverson of Ajax FC have also been included in the squad.
Midfielder Salim Adams, one of the key players for Ghana Premier League leaders Medeama SC, leads the group of home-based players.
Others are Heart of Lions’ Ebenezer Abban, Ebenezer Adade of Dreams FC, and Nations FC captain Razak Simpson. Ghana will travel to Mexico for the international friendly on Friday, May 22, 2026.
