Sports
Ghana Premier League return shot down
A number of key football administrators have voiced out in disagreement a proposal suggesting the return of the Ghana Premier League (GPL) soon.
President of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), Kurt Okraku, and some Ghanaian football fans are yelling for the return of football, albeit behind closed doors – in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, the likes of board chairman of the National Sports Authority, Kwadwo Baah Agyemang and owner of premier league side King Faisal, Alhaji Karim Gruzah, haved all shot down that proposal.
Latest to add his voice to the call to wait until the pandemic is over, is former board chairman of Accra Hearts of Oak, Emmanuel Martey Commodore-Mensah.
According to him, bringing back football behind closed doors for cosmetic effect would rather deepen the already worse plight of the clubs than do them any good.
“I have heard many say Ghana should follow the German approach to bring back football. But left to me alone, I would say we should not go that way. Even with spectatorship, our clubs’ finances are nothing to write home about – let alone playing without spectators,” he told Accra-based Asempa FM on Wednesday.
Commodore-Mensah stated that he does not believe the solution lies in what is being suggested.
“If clubs are suffering during this period and would be playing behind closed door, what would be in there for them at the end of the day? Clearly, their financial situation would never improve so why go that way,” he quizzed.
For him, aside Hearts, Kotoko and to an extent AshantiGold, one cannot write home about any other match that can accrue that much money to pay salaries of players, bonuses and other expenses.
“Football administration is all about money. Some say it is business; in this case, one must take a decision as to whether to go on with the losses or fold up the business to reduce the losses.
“In football, the main income streams here in Ghana are player transfer, sponsorship, television rights and gate proceeds which is the most important. How many teams have sponsors; how many teams transfer players and get monies worth writing home about.
“It is only the gates that survives clubs in Ghana and also club owners dipping their hands into their pocket to support the clubs.”
He said these factors were directly opposite to what pertained in Europe.
“In Europe, the circumstances are different. For them, television rights, sponsorship and transfer of players can cater for their bills; but we cannot follow them and say we are going to play behind closed doors,” Commodore-Mensah stressed.
“Some have also mentioned the government stimulus package; that would only come good if it would be substantial and make up for the supporters income, else we should forget it now.”
BY RAYMOND ACKUMEY
Sports
GoldStars GPL feat no fluke
No prophet in Ghana would have been taken serious with prophesies of Bibiani GoldStars becoming the new champions of the 2024/25 Ghana Premier League (GPL).
That is not to take anything away from Coach Frimpong Manso, an Asante Kotoko legend, and his boys for the yeoman’s job they did in the just ended season.
They deserve every bit of the plaudits coming from well-wishers.
They came, they saw and conquered on their fourth year (2021/2022 season) in the elite stage of Ghana football.
Of course, this can only be a reality in the end but not a sound prediction at the start of the season.
But, so has it been. Stories like that of GoldStars sharply brings to mind a similar fairytale orchestrated in the advanced English Premier League (GPL) with the 2015/16 edition.
In the face of the Manchester City, Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool dominance, Leicester emerged with a bang, conquering every hurdle in sight with unsung heroes like Jamie Vardy, Wilfred Ndidi, Shinji Okazaki, Leonardo Ulloa, Danny Drinkwater, Robert Huth, Riyad Mahrez and others.
There was no indication of that sort at the start of the season.
As usual, the focus was on the aforementioned heavyweights but Leicester took the competition by storm to record a historic win.
Back home, the GoldStars story is not different. Despite the recent struggles by perennial favourites, Accra Hearts of Oak and Asante Kotoko, the two have always found their ways in fans prediction regarding the side to emerge winners.
Interestingly, both sides just managed to end up in the top four after Nations FC’s decision to abandon a game against Basake Holy Stars who cost them dearly, in the end, forfeiting the said game and going ahead to suffer a further three points deduction penalty.
Nations FC were actually the top favourites for the title until that ill-fated match against Basake Holy Stars.
Campaigning for the second year in the competition, very few followers of the game gave the Timber giants any chance.
But in the same ‘Rambo’ style, teams like Medeama SC and Aduana Stars descended on the GPL, GoldStars emerged with all guns blazing, strategically employing a tactic of making the Dun’s Park in Bibiani, a waterloo for visiting teams.
On a few occasions, they sprung surprises on the journey, recording a few upsets against gullible teams including Hearts of Oak in Accra.
They had a promising coach like Frimpong Manso who is yet to establish himself among the elites local coaches maybe because he is yet to work with any of the established club sides in the country.
But winning the local competition with a less endowed club makes you a legend, and truly, he has become one.
To management and other members of the technical team, one could only congratulate them for a job well executed.
The players have a huge role to play in proving that the feat was no fluke and that GoldStars has come to stay; and would continue to make an impact in the local game.
Much is not known about these players except Vincent Atinga who plied his trade with Hearts of Oak and Medeama SC. Others like Samuel Attah Kumi, Frank Amankwah, Kelvin Oppong, Charles Gyamfi Kamara, Abdul Farouk Amoaful, Gideon Anaba, Samuel Acheampong, Foster Agyei and Yakubu Haqq remain emerging talents aiming to carve a niche for themselves.
Definitely with the new challenge, some areas of the team would be strengthened as they face the finest sides on the continent.
Another season with a new champion should also serve as a wake-up call for the likes of Hearts or Oak and Asante Kotoko to quickly return to their glory days lest they lose their enviable place among the football elite clubs. Well-done GoldStars.
By Andrew Nortey
Sports
Golden Kick, a tricky obstacle for Kotoko in MTN FA Cup final tomorrow
The University of Ghana Stadium will come alive tomorrow when Ghanaian giants, Kumasi Asante Kotoko, take on lower tier side, Golden Kicks FC, in a thrilling climax to the 2024/25 MTN FA Cup final tomorrow at exactly 5pm.
The much anticipated game, which is more than just a battle for silverware but a meeting of tradition and ambition for both teams, is expected to draw thousands of football fanatics across the country to the Legon stadium for what promises to be a dramatic and tricky finale to this season’s domestic cup competition.
After an unsuccessful season in the Ghana Premier League which saw the Reds miss out on the title to Bibiani GoldStars, the Porcupine Warriors will be desperate to finish the season on a high by clinching the title to secure a place in the next CAF interclub competition.
The Reds have a rich history in the FA Cup competition having won it nine times and will be eyeing their 10th title to stamp their authority as the overall best.
Before reaching this stage, Asante Kotoko eliminated formidable opponents like True Democracy, Sekondi Eleven Wise and Berekum Chelsea in the semi-final.
The availability of players like Justice Blay, Kwame Opoku, Frederick Asare, Peter Amidu Acquah and striker Albert Amoah, among other notable players will be a big boost to Coach Karim Zito’s side.
Meanwhile, the task will not be an easy one for Kotoko looking at the way their opponents reached the final with wins over Accra Hearts of Oak and Bechem United before climaxing it with Attram d’ Visser.
Coached by young and tactical Fiifi Parker Hanson, Golden Kicks have a combined youthful team with tactical discipline to punch well above their weight and relish the opportunity to shock the giants once more on a bigger stage.
This final is more than just a contest between Premier League royalty and a hungry underdog but rather a tale of two contrasting football identities. Kotoko brings the weight of tradition, experience, legacy and pressure while Golden Kicks arrive with nothing to lose and everything to prove which makes the game a promised one, full of thrills and fireworks.
By Enoch Ntiamoah
