Head Coach of the Black Stars, Charles Kwablan Akonnor has heaped praises on red-hot attacker Jordan Ayew, noting that his growth in the game is good for the country.
According to Akonnor, the Crystal Palace forward impressive performance in the English Premier League is good for the Black Stars.
Ayew netted his 9th goal of the season when Crystal Palace defeated Bournemouth 2-0 over the weekend which has seen him leapfrogged Anthony Yeboah as the Ghanaian with most goals in the history of the English Premier League with 25 goals.
In an interview with Star Sports, Akonnor expressed joy over Ayew’s progress and growth in the game.
“I feel good and it’s good for us as a football nation and he is gradually growing to become a big name in the premiership and we are all happy.
“I personally have some likeness for him , the way he is growing, being a very young man and the way he is now maturing into a big player and somebody who always leads the attack, I think it’s a great thing,” Akonnor told Starr Sports.
“I will encourage him to continue with his fine form, it’s a great thing and it will always help us” Akunnor concluded
Former Aduana Stars defender, Stephen Anokye Badu is reported stranded in Kuwait due to the closure of Ghana’s borders by the government in light of the novel COVID-19 pandemic
The government of Ghana placed a ban on all routes – air, land, and water – to the West African country to reduce fresh cases.
Badu, whose contract with the Asian side Tadamon SC expired last month is in terrible situation as the club has halted all contract obligations including rent and payment of other utilities.
“They paid my apartment rent charges up to last month when my contract ended and have made it clear to me that they won’t continue with the payment,” he told Ghana News Agency.
The former BA United defender claims he does not do any extra work to be able to take care of his rent obligations.
“I should take that burden up for myself. But the situation is very difficult for me here. We are locked down, and I don’t do any work to earn extra money to pay rent charges.”
“I just want to return home,” Also, the 24-year-old surviving in Kuwait is becoming more difficult as restrictions are yet to be lifted.
Coach Goran Barjaktarević shockingly being the highest paid manager in the Ghana premier league has struggled to make an impact as his side are languishing in 16th position on the league log of the suspended 2029/2020 GPL season.
Medeama sporting club has also had a smooth run in the first round of the Ghana premier league and its shocking to see head coach of the yellow and mauves not in the top five highest earning managers in the Ghana premier league.
Below ,we take a look at the top ten highest paid coaches in the Ghana premier league in 2020.
1.Goran Barjaktarević(Legon Cities)¢30,000.00
Goran Barjaktarcvic Legon Cities
The German-Bosnian is highest paid coach in the Ghana premier league.With questions still lingering over his ability to help the royals survive relegation,The former Eintratch Breunshwain technical director takes home GH ¢30,000.00 every month.
2..Maxwell Konadu(Asante Kotoko)¢18,000.00
Maxwell Konadu
A familiar face for Ghanaian football fans who is currently in his second stint in the driving seat at the club – having also taken over from 2011 to 2012. Maxwell Konadu after reuniting with the Porcupine warriors now earns GH¢18,000.00 monthly on a two year deal.
3.SavisaBozicic(King Faisal)¢14,475.00
Slavisa Bozicic
Quiet surprising to see Kumasi King Faisal in the top three highest paid managers in the Ghana premier league following their shambolic performance in the suspended Ghana premier league.Bozicic’s side are sitting bottom on the league log with only six points after 14 games and are yet to record a single win this campaign.
.4. Edward Nii Odoom(Accra Hearts of Oak) ¢6,000.00
Edward Nii Odoon
Perhaps,another shocking name on the list for his position at a club like Hearts of Oak.The former Auroras manager earns GH¢6000.00 each month.Odoom took charge of the club after match-day one of the Ghana Premier League following the sacking of Kim Grant after losing to Berekum Chelsea.
The former black starlet coach after signing a two year deal with the Ogya boys is yet to be on the touchlines as the current season is still on hold.
6.Thomas Duah(AshantiGold) ¢3,500.00
Thomas Duah
The former King Solomon FC gaffer earns ¢3500 monthly to occupy the 6th position of the highest paid coaches in the Ghana premier league.
7.Samuel Buadu (Medeama SC) ¢3,000.00
Samuel Baodu
Haven spearheaded Medeama’s magnificent run in the suspended Ghana premier league,many would expect the vibrant trainer to rank higher on the list.
8.Henrik Lehm (Inter Allies) ¢2,500.00
Henrik Lehm
The Danish instructor doubles as the head coach of the senior side and the youth team(cedar stars academy)
9.Annor Walker(Accra Great Olympics)¢2,500.00
Annor Walker
Daniel Annor Walkor,another familiar name to most Ghanaian premier league fans for winning the MTN FA Cup with Nania fc,took charge of Olympics after the resignation of Prince Koffie.Walker is on a one year renewable one year contract with the wonder club and earns ¢2,500.00 each month.
10.David Oclo(Liberty Professionals)¢2,000.00
David Oclo
Somewhat of a surprise on the list,I’m sure.David Oclo hasn’t really met expectations of supporters of the scientific soccer lads but however finds his way in the the top ten highest paid coaches in the Ghana premier league.
Former Black Stars coach, Otto Pfister has stated that an African team can win the World Cup if the right infrastructure is put in place to ensure proper development.
Africa, first made an appearance in 1934 but no African country has been able to even play in the final. The farthest African teams have reached in the Mundial is the Quarter-final – with Cameroon in 1990, Senegal in 2002 and Ghana in 2010.
However, Otto Pfister believes with the right improvement in all aspects, an African country will lift the prestigious trophy.
“The day Africa gets on the same level of infrastructure as Europe, a team will be able to win the world cup,” Otto Pfister told Citi TV in an interview,
“But with all these problems, it will be very difficult. The players are not the problem, in my experience the player is never the problem.
“The problem is organization, infrastructure, the medical aspect is also very important. If we have this in Africa, good facilities, Ghana can even win the African Cup of Nations and an African team can win the world cup.”
“But if all these are not available, then it will be very difficult,” Otto Pfister concluded.
Pfister, 82, spent 23 years coaching on the African continent where he coached national teams such as Burkina Faso, Ghana, Cameroon and Togo.
It was a great weekend for Ghanaian players abroad with lots of goals and quality performances, including important strikes from the Ayew brothers — Jordan and Andre — in England.
Edmund Okai Gyimah brings to you a wrap up of the performances of Ghanaian players abroad.
SPAIN
Thomas Partey featured for Atletico Madrid as they defeated Real Valladolid 1-0 to stay at the fourth position on the league log but 13 points off joint leaders, Real Madrid and Barcelona.
Iddrisu Baba was impressive in the heart of midfield for Mallorca throughout their 1-1 draw with Leganes.
Youngster Mujaid Aliu Sadick played for 90 minutes in the heart of defence for Deportivo La Coruna who drew 3-3 with Rayo Vallecano.
Emmanuel Lomotey played for 68 minutes for relegation-bound Extremadura who drew 1-1 with Malaga.
ITALY Attacker Emmanuel Gyasi was replaced in the 86th minutes by Tobias Reinhart as Spezia pipped Empoli 1-0.
Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu took command of the Hellas Verona midfield for 90 minutes as they defeated Calgliari 2-1. Moses Odjer played for 65 minutes for struggling Trapani who drew goalless with Frosinone.
GERMANY
Centre-back Gideon Jung was solid for SV Hamburg who drew 1-1 with Osnabruck.
Arsenal loanee, Jordi Osei Tutu scored the second goal for VfL Bochum who drew 2-2 with Greuther Furth.
Gideon Jung played the full match while Jan Gyamerah lasted 55 minutes as their side SV Hamburg lost 2-1 to Hiddenheim.
Elsewhere in the Bundesliga III, Akwasi Okyere Wriedt netted a hat-trick for the second team of Bayern Munich who walloped SV Meppen 5-1.
Danish-born Ghanaian midfielder Nikolas Nartey played for 61 minutes for Hansa Rostock who beat Carl Zeiss 4-0. Aaron Opoku was also introduced in the 60th minute by Rostock.
PORTUGAL Joseph Amoah played for 74 minutes for Vitoria Guimaraes who dew 1-1 with Moreirense.
ENGLAND Jordan Ayew returned to winning ways as he scored for Crystal Palace who beat Bournemouth 2-0 last Saturday. It was a landmark strike for Palace’s leading goal scorer who took his tally to nine goals this season and became the highest scoring Ghanaian in Premiership history with 25 goals, overtaking the 24-goal mark he shared with retired legend Tony Yeboah.
Yeboah scored his 24 goals in 47 games with Leeds United, while Ayew attained that feat in 129 appearances for three different clubs — Aston Villa, Swansea City and Palace.
Edward Nketiah replaced Alexandre Lacazette in the 74th minute as Arsenal’s woes continued with a 2-1 away defeat to Brighton. Teenage star Tariq Lamptey was an unused substitute for the winners.
MIDDLESBROUGH, ENGLAND – JUNE 20: Lukas Nmecha of Middlesbrough vies for possession with Andre Ayew of Swansea City during the Sky Bet Championship match between Middlesbrough and Swansea City at The Riverside Stadium on June 20, 2020 in Middlesbrough, England. (Photo by Athena Pictures/Getty Images)
At Riverside, Andre Ayew set up the opener for Rhian Brewster in the 18th minute before netting a 34th minute penalty also as Swansea humiliated Middlesbrough 3-0 in the Championship.
In Wales on Sunday, Cardiff City defeated Premiership-bound Leeds United by two goals to nothing, winger Albert Adomah Danquah played 65 minutes for the winners.
DENMARK Red-hot Mohammed Kudus netted a brace as Nordsjaelland walloped AaB 4-0. Ibrahim Sadiq also set up a goal in the game. The winners started the game with three Ghanaian — Kudus, Isaac Atanga and Sadiq. Two other Ghanaians, Kamaldeen Sulemana and Abdul Mumin, were introduced later.
Red-hot Mohammed Kudus celebrating one of his goals against AaB
TURKEY Bernard Mensah played for 90 minutes for Kayserispor who defeated Genclirbirligi 2-0.
Afriyie Acquah saw 90 minutes of action as his side Yeni Malatyaspor beat Goztepe 2-1.
CZECH REPUBLIC Forward Benjamin Tetteh replaced Libor Kozac in the 63rd minute and scored the fourth goal as Sparta Prague handed Slovan Liberec a 4-1 mauling. Emmanuel Antwi played for 64 minutes for Pribram as they defeated Sigma Olomouc 2-0.
HUNGARY Abrham Frimpong replaced Gergo Lovrencsics in the 25th minute as Ferencvros beat Ujpest 1-0 to be crowned league champions.
SLOVAKIA In form Osman Bukari scored the third goal for Trencin as they went away to beat Zlate Moravce by three goals to two. Edmund Addo lasted 90 minutes in central midfield for FK Senica as they lost 0-2 to Nitra. Compatriot Sulley Sadam replaced Filip Buchel in the 76th minute.
SWEDEN Ebenezer Ofori and Enock Adu Kofi were on the winning side as AIK beat Hamarby 2-0.
AUSTRIA
Samuel Tetteh was introduced in the second half and netted the second goal for LASK who beat Sturm Graz 2-0. Isaac Donkor, who played in defence for Sturm Graz, was sent off in the 72nd minute.
Central midfielder Majeed Ashimeru replaced Masaya Okugawa in the 64th minute as his side Red Bull Salzburg drew 2-2 with Wolfsberger.
The Chief Executive Officer of Eleven Wonders, Albert Yahaya Commey has pleaded with the government of Ghana to allow football to resume because the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) did not adhere to social distance protocol during their 2020 Parliamentary primaries.
The governing NPP held the primaries on Saturday, June 2020 across the country, ahead of the upcoming general elections to be held in December 7, this year.
Pictures and videos from the various polling stations showed that the delegates failed to compy with the president’s social distancing directives and other COVID-19 protocols.
Some were not with face mask. Others were seen hugging after results were announced.
As a result, the experienced football administrator believes that football should return amid the fears.
“I was glued to my television last Saturday monitoring NPP parliamentary primaries and I must say they did not adhere to covid19 protocols,” Commey told Accra-based Angel 102.9FM.
“Therefore, I will plead with government to allow us to play our football.”
The game of football has been suspended since mid-March after the government placed a ban on social gatherings. Hope of football returning was dashed after the government extended the ban to July 31, 2020.
However, the Ghana Football Association is set to take a decision on the future of football activities on June 30.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has thrown out the preliminary objection of the Ghana Football Association (GFA)’s against the exercise of jurisdiction by Sports adjudicatory body to hear the case between the GFA and Wilfred Kwaku Osei ‘Palmer’.
In a ruling Monday, CAS dismissed the GFA’s objection and deferred its reasons till 17th July 2020 when the final decision on the substantive case would be delivered.
“The reasons for the Panel’s decision will be communicated to the Parties in the final award in the present case,” Carolin Fischer wrote in the award. The GFA, identified as Respondent first disputed that CAS has jurisdiction to hear this matter.
The Lawyers of Palmer argued that, the Ghana FA and the Tema Youth owner “are engaged and relate to one another in the context of the sport of football. They added that, “being related to one another in a sporting way, both Parties must in good faith submit to the jurisdiction of the CAS.”
Palmer’s legal representatives also referred the GFA and CAS to “Article 61 of the GFA Statutes conferring jurisdiction on the CAS.”
The Lawyers of the football governing body in Ghana “did not comment on Article 61 of the GFA Statutes,” raised by Mr Palmer. In the course of proceedings, Carolin Fischer wrote, “…the Respondent asked CAS to render a decision, without maintaining its opposition to the jurisdiction.”
The Panel, headed by Mr Michele A.R Bernasconi ruled that, it has the powers to exercise jurisdiction over the matter. CAS will award its final ruling on July 17.
The Organising Secretary of Ghana’s Coaches Association, Ken August has stated that former Black Stars coach James Kwesi Appiah orchestrated his own failure because he neglected the experienced coaches in the country.
Appiah’s second stint ended December last year after the new Ghana Football Association hierarchy decided against extending his contract.
Despite high hopes of clinching the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations trophy, the senior national team failed to qualify out its group. Many football enthusiasts also complained about the team’s style of play during Appiah’s era.
Speaking to Kumasi-based Akoma FM, Ken August disclosed that the former Ghana defender deprived the local coaches opportunity to get close to the team.
“Akwasi Appiah did not involve experienced local coaches in his work. He never even invited us to observe his training. He failed to support our quest be to represented at AFCON even though we appealed to him.
He also advised current trainer CK Akonnor not to replicate Appiah’s mistakes in order to succeed.
“C. K. Akonnor should learn from his mistakes. I disagree with anyone who says local coaches are their own enemies.”
Accra Hearts Of Oak poster boy Joseph Esso ssys teammate Benjamin Afutu Kotei was the best player in the Ghana Premier League before it was put on hold due to the novel coronavirus.
The Ghanaian top-flight and other lower-tier leagues were suspended after the government of Ghana placed a ban on social gatherings in mid-March in a bid to curb the novel COVID-19 pandemic.
Many football administrators, players and pundits have tipped Justice Blay, Victorien Adebayor, Yahaya Mohammed and Prince Opoku Agyemang as the best before the league went on suspension.
But Esso believes the Phobians midfielder was the best.
“I think the season didn’t end though but Benjamin Afutu really impressed me. He performed extremely well in most of the games we played in the league. He is my player of the 2019/20 premier league season.” He told Kumasi-based Wontumi TV/101.3 FM.
Hearts Of Oak goalkeeper Richmond Ayi has also settled on Afutu as the best in the league.
The game is still on suspension awaiting a decision on the future on June 30,2020. However, government will mske a decision on on social gatherings In July 31,2020.
Vibrant Member of Parliament, Hon. Kennedy Agyapong has stated that football is not a viable venture in the country and will not invest in it for hos money to go waste.
The MP for Assin Central recently disclosed that he will never support football activities financially because the Ghana Football Association electorate failed to elect his friend – George Afriyie – as the president of the Association in their last presidential election.
Speaking to Benjamin Owusu of Atinka FM, the business mogul hinted on the reason why he doesn’t have an investment in football.
“Football business in Ghana is really hard and can’t let my money go waste just like that.”
