Review Black Stars’ bonuses
I have all along assumed that the debacle of Brazil would always serve as the reference point for players of the senior national team, the Black Stars, in their conduct, especially when it borders on money (bonuses, appearance fees).
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This feeling was born out of the fact that some aspects of the Dzamefe Commission’s Report frowned on the conduct of the players and officials of the team for their ‘greed’ which affected the team’s performance in the tournament. The team threatened to boycott their final group match against Portugal if their appearance fees were not paid.
The players’ action compelled the government to fly $3 million from Ghana to Brazil in a chartered flight to pay the players before they honoured that match.
Majority of Ghanaians were really mad about the way the players conducted themselves which affected the goodwill the team had enjoyed from the teeming soccer fans all these years. The aftermath of this unpatriotic act culminated in the strained relationship between the team and the soccer-loving fans of this country.
This disenchantment which was nationally visible compelled the Captain of the team, Ransford Nana Asamoah Gyan, the Baby Jet, to render an unqualified apology on behalf of his teammates.
This apology was accepted in good faith which necessitated the Ghana Football Association (GFA) to return to the Accra Sports Stadium venue for the team’s match after almost two years’ desertion.
Therefore, it was worthwhile for the Black Stars that playing their maiden match in the qualifying series of the AFCON 2017 at the Accra Sports Stadium they hammered their Mauritius counterparts 7-1 to the satisfaction of all followers of the national team.
However, weeks after this encounter, the Black Stars players have not received their winning bonuses of $10,000 for that feat. Most Ghanaians did not know that the bonus had not been paid and that we expected the players to channel their grievances through their captain, Asamoah Gyan, instead of the huge outcry in the media.
In fact the noise about unpaid bonuses did not do the players any good. It has rather deepened the hard feelings Ghanaians had for the team while providing the opportunity for the public to question the players’ level of patriotism and commitment to die a little for their motherland.
Personally, I don’t think the delay in paying bonuses of $10,000 to each member of the team could affect them in anyway because majority of the players ply their trade in Europe and elsewhere and are earning good money.
The Black Stars players should refrain from using the media to fight their battles especially when such fights are over money.
Majority of us from whose taxes the players are paid these bonuses and other honorarium are not having things easy, the same way the economy is suffering. It is, therefore, imperative that they also make some sacrifices in the interest of this nation.
In that same vein, I feel the bonus of $10,000 paid to each player after winning a match is too much and must be reviewed drastically to reflect the real economic trend in the country. Playing for one’s nation must be a pride not an avenue to make cut-throat demands on the nation.