Sports
We’rebound up to fix football problems – FA
PRESIDENT of the Ghana Football Association (GFA) Kurt Okraku, says his administration is committed to developing football by eradicating the problems facing the sport.
In so doing, the FA says it would be tackling the problems facing the sport right from the base by strategically aligning and positioning itself to rope in support for the game.
As first step, the FA has signed a three-year football sponsorship deal worth GH¢1.6m with kits and football manufacturer Macron Ghana Limited as the official match ball partner of the FA.
With the signing, Macron will supply the GFA a total of 5,000 pieces of footballs and 1,500 pieces of bibs each for the next three league seasons.
Speaking at the signing ceremony on Wednesday at the offices of the GFA, Mr Okraku said “the era where you visit the training grounds of some clubs only to be welcomed with about 30 players chasing five footballs, is history.”
“If you are a footballer and you want to play football but you cannot have access to balls, it is a big challenge, and this we are eradicating with this partnership deal.
“The sponsorship has come at an opportune time and will help clubs in the Premier and Division One Leagues have enough footballs at their disposal to train with.
“The story of insufficient football reported by our dear clubs for our industry that charts its successes to the use of these balls is indeed a very sad story. We together with Macron have changed this sad story and we can easily say this is a game-changer for the clubs,” he stressed.
The partnership, according to the FA boss, would ensure that those who have taken the trade of football will have a livelihood, “because without the balls they cannot enhance and develop their talents; and if talents are not developed there is no livelihood.”
Chief Executive Officer of Macron Ghana Limited, Alhaji Alhassan Mutala Haruna, expressed delight at the deal with the Football Association, adding that his outfit was ready to help in the development of the game in the country and in the sub-region.
BY RAYMOND ACKUMEY
Otto Addo is taking a calm and focused approach to the World Cup after being drawn against England, Panama, and Croatia in Group L.
“I look forward to every game as special,” he told ghanafa.org.
“Very important for us that we don’t underrate any team. For sure, England is the favourite in that group,” he acknowledged. “But for me as a coach, to be honest, I’m looking at each and every game equally.”
Addo is particularly focused on getting a strong start against Panama. “I’m hoping that we have a good start against Panama, that will be very, very crucial,” he said. “It will make the other games a little bit more relaxed and easier for the players psychologically. We will use the window of March for test matches, and then see,” he said.
Despite being a young team, Addo is proud of his squad’s progress. “I think we did very well in the qualifiers ” he said. “We didn’t lose a single official game, like the qualifying games, we did very well. We just played one draw and the rest we won, so we had quite a good year in 2025, after a bad year in 2024’’.
“Even though we have a very young team, we really, really did well, had a good harmony in the team, good union,” he added.
Ghana will open their FIFA World Cup campaign against Panama in Toronto on June 17 before facing England and Croatia in the other Group L matches on June 23 and 27 respectively.
The unbeaten away run of Accra Hearts of Oak will be put to the test tomorrow when they visit the Aliu Mahama Sports Stadium in Tamale to play as guests of Karela United. Described as one of the top-liners of the weekend games, the match will pitch one of the best home teams against the best away team, with their records on the line.
After playing a pulsating 2-2 draw with Kumasi Asante Kotoko last week, league leaders Medeama SC return to their fortress, the TnA Stadium, to welcome Berekum Chelsea FC in a clash of former league winners. Medeama have struggled in recent times to hold their own against the ‘Bibires’, losing their last four games both home and away.
However, according to Head Coach of Medeama, Tanko Ibrahim, that sequence of results will come to an end tomorrow as they look to crawl out of the claws of their opponents with victory. Eleven points separate the sides, with Berekum Chelsea lying a distant 14th position on the log. They have been a pale shadow of themselves this season, and it remains to be seen if Coach Samuel Boadu’s side can keep the bragging rights over the Yellow and Mauves in what has been described as one of their worse starts to a league season.
Today, second-placed Kpando Heart of Lions will trek to the Kwame Kyei Sports Complex in Abrankese to play as guests of struggling Nations FC. Having suffered a 1-0 away loss to Basake Holy Stars in their last game, Nations FC would look to pick all three points to better their current 12th position.
In other games, the Hohoe Sports Stadium will come alive as new boys Hohoe United FC welcome Kumasi Asante Kotoko. The Nii Adjei Kraku II Sports Complex in Tema will host the Vision FC versus Young Apostles FC game, the Tuba Astro Turf will host the Dreams FC versus Bechem United FC clash, while the Nsenkyire Sports Arena will host the Samartex FC versus Bibiani Gold Stars game. High-riding Aduana FC will sort things out with Basake Holy Stars at the Nana Agyeman Badu I Park in Dormaa.
By Raymond Ackumey
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