Allowances of referees too meagre- RAG chairman
Accra
(Greater Accra) 09 January 2002 - The Ghana Football Association on Tuesday
released the final list of 22 players for the 23rd African Cup of Nations - CAN
2002 - which gets underway in Mali from January 19 to February 10 after many
weeks of speculations by the media. The list was released by the soccer
controlling body’s General Secretary, Mr Kofi Nsiah.
Conspicuously
missing from the team are Stephen 'Tornado' Appiah of Italy’s AC Parma who has
been the engine room of the Black Stars in recent times, Mohammed Gargo, a
stalwart defender with Udinese in the Italian Serie A and Charles Taylor, the
dribbling magician of Accra Hearts of Oak who won the GFA's Most Exciting
Player (MEP) award for the 2001 domestic season.
Other
icons who missed the Ghanaian train is Peter Ofori Quaye who has scored
valuable goals for Greek side Olympiakos in the EUFA champions league and
Charles Amoah, a consistent goal poacher for the team in the recent past who
earns his livelihood with Sturm Graz of Australia.
The
three goalkeepers listed are James Nanor, Sammy Adjei both of Accra Hearts of
Oak and Kankani Abubakari (Ghapoha).
The
defenders: John Mensah, Hamza Mohammed (Real Tamale United), Kofi Amponsah,
Princeton Owusu-Ansah (Goldfields), Amankwah Mireku, (Hearts of Oak) George
Blay (Standard Liege Belgium), John Paintsil (Berekum Arsenals) and Samuel
Osei-Kuffuor (Bayern Munich).
Midfielders:
Razak Ibrahim, (Empoli) Emmanuel Osei-Kuffuor (Hearts of Oak), Michael Essien,
(Bastia) Emmanuel Duah, (Uniao Leirra) Prince Amoako and Holland-based Mathew
Amoah.
Attackers:
Isaac Boakye, (Goldfields) Ishmael Addo (Hearts of Oak), Baffour Gyan, Derek
Boateng (Panathinaikos) and Alex Techie Mensah.
The
Confederation of African Football gave Tuesday, January 8 as the deadline for
the submission of the final list. With the exception of Nigeria all the teams
were able to beat the deadline set by CAF.
The Black Stars went into camp in October last year with 24 local players after Kumasi Asante Kotoko had refused to release four of their players who had been invited to join the squad. The final list however indicates 10 local players and 12 who ply their trade in Europe and elsewhere. This is however in contrast to Stars coach Osam Duodu’s earlier assurance that the team was going to be composed of 70 per cent local players and 30 per cent of the overseas professionals.
Soccer
analysts had postulated that the early camping was unnecessary because most of
the local players who were invited would be dropped before the competition.
That
school of thought seems to be vindicated as inform players such as Awudu Adama
of Dawu Youngsters, the second highest scorer in the Ghanaian premiership was
dropped alongside Issa Mohammed, the workaholic of Sekondi Hasaacas, Nana Arhin
Duah of Goldfields and Jacob Nettey, an excellent wing back and captain of
Accra Hearts of Oak.
Before
the final selection the Coach Osam Duodu led the stars in four international
away battles against Algeria, Mali, Basque County of Spain and Egypt. The Black
Stars drew against Algeria and Mali 2-2 and 1-1 respectively while they lost to
Basque County (2-3) and Egypt (02)
GRi…/
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Accra
(Greater Accra) 09 January 2002 - Mr. L.O. Laryea chairman of the Referees
Association of Ghana (RAG) has said that allowances paid to referees for
handling matches are too meagre to induce them to give of their best.
Speaking
to GNA Sports in Accra on Tuesday, Mr Laryea said some referees are tempted to
accept offers form club officials and other people to influence match results because their allowances are too
small.
He
said for "a FIFA referee to travel all the way from a place like Tamale or
Kumasi to Accra to officiate a match, only to be paid a meagre 150 thousand
cedis is not good enough to motivate them".
He
said the amount paid to the referees is not the only problem confronting them
but that referees do not receive their allowances immediately after matches but
these are unreasonably delayed.
The
chairman said some of these allowances totalling 12 million cedis in respect of
the last premier league has just been received by the association.
Mr
Laryea called for an increase in the allowances to prevent match officials from
falling into the temptation of accepting bribes.
He
also blamed some club officials for contributing to the poor performance of
certain referees adding that all club officials must be transparent when
hosting referees.
He
said it is wrong for club officials to entertain referees separately and in
secrecy stressing that all refreshments must be done in the presence all stake
holders including opposing teams.
Mr
Laryea said the association has written a letter to the Ghana Football
Association for a meeting to discuss all issues affecting the welfare of
referees before the commencement of the next football season.
GRi…/
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