Prez. Mahama charges GFA to focus on other national teams, improve Premier League quality

Ghana President John Dramani Mahama has charged the Ghana FA to treat other national football teams under its management with the same attention handed to the Black Stars and focus on improving the quality of the Premier League.

Asides the recent Under-20 World Cup winning feat chalked by the Black Satellites in 2009, no other junior national team including female sides have managed to impress in international competitions, leading to the Kwesi Nyantakyi led Ghana FA being tagged as a “Black Stars FA”.

The Black Stars managed to rise from the disappointment of their Brazil 2014 World Cup campaign, which was hit by player indiscipline and fights over appearance fees, to claim a silver medal winning feat at the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations.

President Mahama believes other national teams including the Black Starlets, the Black Satellites, the Black Meteors, the Black Maidens, the Black Princesses and the Black Queens could win laurels for the nation if given the same attention handed to the Black Stars.

“Let me urge me urge the Ghana Football Association to put a lot more focus on the other national teams, just like it does to the senior national teams in order to adequately prepare them for international competitions as well,” President Mahama stated during the State of the Nation’s Address in Parliament on Thursday.

Over the last six years, the Ghana Premier League has been hit by the unfortunate situation of low patronage and low attendance recorded at match venues, with the lack of interest in the domestic top flight often blamed on the mass exodus of top players to foreign leagues due to poor salaries paid to these footballers.

“Also the seeming total neglect of our local football league is a matter of concern to football loving fans. I wish to urge the Football Association to turn its attention to improving the quality of our local league and work towards making it attractive, exciting and worth following,” he insisted.

Ashgold provides free internet connectivity at Len Clay Stadium

AshantiGold SC has installed a wireless internet facility at the Len Clay Stadium in Obuasi, DailySoccerGhana.com can exclusively reveal.

The Len Clay has now become the first stadium in the country with the Wi-Fi technology.
No amount will be charged by Ashgold for the usage of the Wi-Fi facility, which can be accessed from match-day 9 of the Ghana Premier League, which kicks off on Wednesday afternoon.

The technology was provided at the stadium to aid the work of sports journalists, who attend the venue to cover Premier League matches.

The officials of Ashgold approved the installation of the Wi-Fi to also attract fans to patronize matches at the Len Clay during the match-days.

Black Stars receive last sponsorship cash from CCTC(Rice Masters)

Continental Commodity Trading Company (CCTC) - Rice Masters, the official meal sponsors of the Black Stars have presented a cheque of GHC 100,000 to the Ghana Football Association.The amount represents the last tranche of its GHC 400,000 sponsorship agreement with the Football Association.  Vice President of the GFA, Fred Crentsil, says  CCTC's  decision to honor their agreement is an indication that the FA's brand is attractive to the business community.

“This means that we are doing something right and I believe that people should definitely give us that recognition. Otherwise nobody will be chasing us and giving us sponsorship. I believe they know that we have the right trpe of teams or players in this country and what they need to do is to encourage them and once they encourage these players, the sky will be the limit."

Mohammed Polo: “Hearts of Oak fans attacked me spiritually”

Ex-Coach of Hearts of Oak has accused Phobian fans of fighting him spiritually while he was at post, stating that he expects these supporters to confess their wrongdoings against him.
During his second stint as Hearts trainer, Polo complained bitterly of lack of support from the supporters, who he claimed were eager to sabotage him since he took replaced David Duncan, who was a fans favorite.

“Some of the supporters were fighting me spiritually. The very day I got the job. Some of the supporters brought Mallams and Pastors to support me. The popular supporters were against me,” Polo told Happy FM.
The Hearts legend, who led the club to a third place finish in the Ghana Premier League last season, left the Rainbow club in May 2014 following the expiration of his six-month contract

source: dailysoccerghana

Kim Grant wants to coach Asante Kotoko

 

Former Ghana international Kim Grant insists he can help Asante Kotoko to retain the Ghana Premier League title and to excel in the Caf Champions League if the club is handed over to him.

The Porcupine Warriors are without a head coach after asking Mas-ud Didi Dramani to proceed on a four-month leave following a poor run of form in the 2015 season, despite winning two league titles and one FA Cup.

Ex-Hearts coach David Duncan looks set to succeed Dramani and has received the blessings of the supporters’ body.

However, Grant believes he can equally perform well if given the mantle.

“The team [Asante Kotoko] is one of the greatest clubs in Ghana, so I would love if I get the opportunity to coach them," Grant told Starr Sports.

“In that case my focus will be winning the league and excelling in the Caf Champions League."

Grant played seven games for Ghana and scored a goal.

Source: Ghana/starrfmonline.com/103.5fm

COACH COMMEY PROCEEDS ON TWO WEEKS LEAVE TO RECOVER FROM INJURY

 

Edubiase Head Coach Anthony Commey has been given a two-week break by the club to recover from a shoulder injury he sustained during a recent accident. 

Coach Commey is making a progress in his recovery from the injury he suffered last weekend when the team bus of Edubiase was involved in an accident at Nkwakwaw. The accident occurred while the team was returning from a friendly match against Storm FC. 

Coaches Thomas Ampomah and Mustapha Musah will act as interim coach for the Yenkonkoaa lads until Coach Commey returns to dug-out.

Vice President of New Edubiase, Alex Ackumey expects Coach Anthony Commey to make a return for the club’s game against Berekum Chelsea on March 8^th.

“our friend has be given two weeks rest from a doctors so he will be out for two weeks, he was a bit better but we just have to stick to the doctor’s advice so he can rest so he can be fully recovered for the task ahead of him. He will be back for the Chelsea game.”

BASE BALL ASSCIATION DISSAPOINTED AT GOVERNMENT NEGLECTING THEIR TAX EXEMPTION REQUEST BUT GRATING THAT OF THE BLACK STARS

Vice president of the Ghana Baseball Association, Edward Quainor has revealed his disappointment in government for their failure to grant his association tax exemption to clear baseball equipment donated by a Canadian NGO. The Equipment have been lying at Aviance formerly known as AFGO for the last eight months affecting the development of baseball in the country.

It would be recalled that government recently approved a tax waiver for Tanink Ghana Limited to clear Cherokee jeeps to be presented to the Black Stars as gifts for their silver medal success at the just ended Africa Cup of Nations. 

Edward Quainor in an interview with Starr FM insisted the government has been unfair to the Ghana Baseball Association by neglecting its request for a tax exemption when a waiver was granted to a company to donate cars to a football team.

“We’ve been to the Ghana education service, the ministries and all the say is there is no tax rebate and they can’t get the goods for us. It’s been more than eight months. It was early next year and up to now we cannot still clear it and you can see what is going on. Although nobody is saying Ghana should not supports football, the attention given to them is becoming too much. Everything goes to football leaving the rest of the disciplines to collapse. Do you think it is good?”