Former Kumasi Asante Kotoko playmaker, Michael Akuffo has called on the Ghana Football Association to follow the steps of the Cameroonian Football Federation base on players salary issues.
Salary issues is a major reason why a local player would want to leave after probably excelling domestically for just a season. Needless to say, most professional footballers in Ghana are breadwinners to whom their families look up to for financial assistance.
A lot of unbearable pressure from such dependants and friends mean these players would always look out for lucrative deals to meet these demands, without necessarily considering how those moves could negatively affect their careers. Meagre winning bonuses and motivational packages at their present stations would always push them out for juicier packages elsewhere. It goes without saying that some clubs owe players several months’ worth of the little that they pay in wages and this would certainly let them reconsider their stay with those Ghanaian clubs.
According to the former Asante Kotoko player, the country’s football governing body, the Ghana Football Association, should implement a law that pegs the clubs to pay their players every month so that they can stay in the league and excel in Africa.
Many players are complaining about their monthly salaries and the clubs are yet to offer but Oduro believes the clubs will take it serious if the FA throws in some law or sanctions.
“The problem in Ghana here is our salary issues. I think the FA should take it up so that they will be some sanctions on the Premier League clubs who fail to pay their players.
“We have StarTimes who are giving us some money every year for the clubs to run their teams and I will not talk much about what has happened but it looks like our FA is not serious about players’ welfare because we are the actors of the game and our welfare should be the best. In Cameroon right now Eto’o has tasked the teams to pay at least $170 and even if you don’t pay the player and then the player report you they will pay him and deduct it from your sponsorship money.
It will help if the FA can implement that so that the clubs can pay. It looks like our system is not helping. A team owner will expect the players to give out whiles they’ve played without salary for three to six months meanwhile he is renting and also having a family. They all know he is a professional player.” He stated via an interview with ghanasportspage.com.
“I will urge the FA to be serious about the player salaries so that they will be happy and stay for long. They leave for some countries whenever they hear like $500 and $1000 because no team will pay even $200 a month in Ghana. He will be forced to leave for that money because they are not feeling comfortable here and not earning what they are supposed to. The FA should do something so that the players can stay.”
Concerning salary payment, the FA can task the clubs to pay at least Gh2000.00 which is equivalent to $268 a month as a basic salary for a Premier League player. Even though is not enough but it is okay. Just take rent for instance. It takes much. The First Divisions can also pay at least Gh700.00 ($93) to Gh1000.00($134).
“Even though the money wasn’t enough in our time but most of the people just come to watch the likes of Gadafi, Stephen Oduro, Nii Agyei, Ahmed Ture and ask how many goals Kotoko had scored. Those are the things we are not witnessing today because the love and the passion are no more there. Most of the guys don’t have the passion again because of these salary issues. The FA should look at it and I think doing that will revive the love for the game and the guys who play the game will come back and stay.
“I will let my player leave if there’s is an offer of $500 because none of our teams can do that.”
“All forms into our low performances in Africa because when you can camp and keep your players for three to four years, they will know themselves. They will perform when they go to Africa. The reason why the likes of Al Ahly, TP Mazembe, and Raja Casablanca can perform is to keep their players for more than two to three years. They pay them well and take care of them that’s why whenever they go into these continental games they can perform.
“The FA can come in for the team to pay players and there should be some sanctions because StarTimes is a part-time sponsor and there is an amount of money for the clubs.”
