Sports
Let the referees’ cash flow
A PROPOSED amendment to extend the presidential term of the Ghana Football Association (GFA) obviously dominated conversations in the build up to the association’s 31st Ordinary Congress held at the Ghanaman Soccer Centre of Excellence in Prampram on Tuesday.
That particular move was very much criticised by people mostly outside the association.
The FA President, Kurt Okraku, was vilified and maligned by people hostile to the proposal, citing reasons including a desire to extend his stay in office although he was yet to make any such decision publicly.
But can the critics be faulted for their stance on the proposal? Obviously, the answer can be either yes or no.
That notwithstanding, football people voted massively at the Congress with about 10 voting against and abstaining. A total of 114 voted for the extension, indicating that the football people loves the idea.
In the next two years left on the current term, the unending conversation would switch to whether Okraku would consider a third term, a decision believed to have fuelled the proposal, or whether he would bow out.
However, Okraku’s response to whether he intends to continue or not must lay to rest the issue for now to digest some goodies announced at the Congress.
At a post Congress presser, Okraku stated that discussion on whether he would continue or not was premature.
That of course should apply the brakes on the discussion of the tenure extension to scrutinise some of the seemingly pleasant packages announced at the Congress.
The reward package announced for Ghana Premier League (GPL) was not just a novelty but very rewarding and mouthwatering.
For the first time in the history of the GPL, every club is set to pocket an amount of GH¢1m before kickoff.
Additionally, a total of GH¢9.5 million would be shared among the best performing teams in the competition, with the winners all the way to the 15th position expected to smile to bank after the season.
According to Mr Okraku, the winner of the 2025-26 Ghana Premier League (GPL) would get GH¢2 million while the runner-up would get GH¢1million.
The new merit award would also have the third place team receive GH¢800,000; fourth-placed team GH¢750,000; fifth placed-team GH¢700,000 and sixth-place team getting GH¢600,000.
Seventh-place team will pocket GH¢650,000; eighth-place team GH¢550,000; ninth placed-team GH¢500,000; 10th -place team GH¢450,000; 11th place team GH¢400,000; 12th place team GH¢350,000; 13th-place team GH¢300,000; 14th-place team GH¢250,000 and 15th-place taking GH¢200,000.
The good news is that the referees – who play an integral role in the success or otherwise of the competition, were not left out of the new FA windfall.
Beginning the 2025/26 football season, all 280 referees across the three major leagues –GPL, Division One League (DOL) and Women Premier League (WPL); will enjoy a huge insurance cover as individuals, as a group, critical illness, against permanent disability, medical expenses, and workmen’s compensation, among others.
What probably might interest the referees the more was the announcement of an enhanced financial incentive.
FIFA referees would be paid GH¢2,500.00 per game, while non-FIFA referees receive GH¢2,000.00 per game for GPL games. DOL and WPL referees will each take home GH¢1, 000.00.
In addition to these, referees will continue to enjoy a 50 per cent discount on travels via the FA’s partnership with STC plus other incentives.
Okraku’s administration deserves a pat on the shoulder for realising the need to bolster the referees who have often gone about their activities under very grim circumstances with many complaining of non-payment of their allowances.
Announcing these incentives must not just be a rhetoric. The FA must ensure that funds are readily available to make sure they are paid on time.
It is the hope of many that the stories about referees depending on their partners or friends as well as club officials before honouring their roles should be something of the past.
That would be the only way to sustain the hype around these incentives and justify the actions of football people that voted for the amendments that sought to suggest that Kurt Okraku is on his way to a third term.
By Andrew Nortey
Accra Hearts of Oak will aim to assume the top spot of the Ghana Premier League (GPL) when they travel to Tema to face Vision FC at the Nii Adjei Kraku Sports Complex today.
Perched at the second spot and trailing leaders Medeama with three points, the Phobians would need to snatch the maximum points and a superior goal aggregate to have a taste of the top spot, at least for a day.
It will be a game full of fireworks considering Hearts’ impressive performance on the road against Vision’s strength at home.
The Matchday 6 games would also witness a Saturday clash between Heart of Lions and Berekum Chelsea FC at the Kpando Stadium.
Asante Kotoko’s home clash against Young Apostles will headline tomorrow’s games as they aim to bounce back after the previous week’s defeat in Swedru.
At the Nsenkyire Sports Arena, FC Samartex will test Medeama SC’s character when they clash in what could affect their respective positions on the table after the round seven matches.
After the giant-killing feat over Asante Kotoko, Swedru All Blacks will lock horns with Karela United at the Swedru Stadium just as Basake Holy Stars engage Bechem United at the AAK II Sports Arena,
Fireworks is anticipated at the Debibi Presby Park in the Bono region where Debibi United FC look poised to face Gold Stars.
At the Nana Agyemang Badu I Park, Aduana FC will welcome FC Ashantigold in a clash that will see fans applaud afternoon.
By Andrew Nortey
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Over two decades ago, I made a statement that if I was given the sole responsibility to come out with the league fixtures for the season, I could give some advantage to some clubs and make winning the league difficult for other clubs. People laughed it off.
To them, it didn’t make sense because in a league in which all clubs play each other twice, things will ‘balance out,’ and the best club will win. I disagree, and I will explain.
In recent times, it seems Kumasi Asante Kotoko has more difficult first five games in the league than arch rivals Accra Hearts of Oak. Debatable?
This is exactly one of the ways to make it difficult for a club to win the league (if a club is marginally better than the others). How can making the first matches in the league difficult for a club lead to a disadvantage for the club?
A. The club starts on a poor note and may struggle to catch up
Imagine a club playing its first five matches against its most difficult opponents. If the club draws all five matches, it will end up with five points. A rival club that plays its easiest matches in the first five games could end up with 15 points.
It will not be easy for the club with five points to catch up with the club with 15 points because other factors will come in.
B. Psychological ‘boost’ for the winning club and possible stress/’depression’ for the seemingly struggling club
The team that is winning gets a boost. They appear to be better. Their players get confident. Their strikers may be leading on the Goal King chart. Their goalkeeper(s) will be having more clean sheets – finishing matches without conceding goals.
This will be opposite for the team that played more difficult matches. The supporters may be demanding more from the players, putting them under more pressure.
Some of the players may ‘crack’ under the pressure. New players are especially more difficult to settle down. They may end up on the bench for subsequent matches and may struggle to recover and come back into the first team.
C. The coach may be sacked or may resign/leave under pressure
The coach of the club that plays more difficult matches will come under pressure. The coach is likely going to be judged by the points accrued and the position of the club on the league table, not by the quality of opposition faced.
The pressure will come from the bosses and the supporters. The coach may end up being sacked or resigning/leaving under pressure.
D. Players more likely to get injured in tough matches
The club that plays more difficult matches is likely to record more injuries of its players early in the season. Some players may miss the whole season through injuries.
On the other hand, the club that plays easier matches earlier in the season will have the luxury to substitute and rest players when they are comfortably leading in matches.
Players may not have to exert themselves so much, reducing the risk of injuries.
E. Supporters abandon the team that is not winning and may not go to the stadium to give home support
If a club is not winning, its supporters may not pay money to go to the stadium to watch matches. In fact, they may not even go to the stadium if they are asked to go and watch matches for free.
This will not only have financial consequences for the club, an almost empty stadium takes away the home advantage from the ‘intimidation’ of supporters.
The above are all reasons why the first games in the league can give an advantage or a disadvantage to clubs.
Once this it accepted, it means there must be fairness in coming up with the league fixtures if we want the best club(s) to emerge as winners who can represent the country and not disgrace the country internationally.
A transparent way of coming up with the league fixtures is needed (like how balloting is done for knockout competitions).
This way, clubs and individuals cannot complain that someone or some people decided to favour some clubs through the league fixtures.
By Dr. (Med) Kofi Effah
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