Accra Sports Stadium back to life but…

The media stand of the renovated Accra Sports Stadium 

The number one stadium in the capital, the Accra Sports Stadium was opened on Sunday evening after months of renovation that saw reconstruction touches on practically every facet of the facility which last saw similar construction works ten years ago.  

There had been doubts as to whether the stadium will be ready for the 2018 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations which kicks off in Ghana this weekend. Having hosted the friendly match between the Black Queens of Ghana and the Bayana Bayana of South Africa (beating them by a lone goal); it’s all right to conclude that doubts over the readiness of the stadium have been dispelled.

My Observations

Going in to check on a number of things prior to the Ghana-South Africa friendly, it came as a surprise to me that, the urinals and toilets at the stadium were locked. There was no official to explain this. My plausible assumption was that, they haven’t finished works there otherwise it made no sense to me to have them shut that moment.

What caught the fascination of most journalists at the stadium is the brilliant change at the media stand, where cubicles with swivel chairs have been provided – a marked departure from the badly constructed yellow wooden slabs that were there. While I appreciate the beauty of the cubicles, they will be of little use because one can hardly see the pitch while in the cubicles.

The black swivel chairs are nice but the frontage of the cubicles ought to be removed. It impedes viewing. You can’t see the pitch from the cubicle even if you have good height like I do. Moving on to the scoreboard, it worked well so as the floodlights. If they were put on test, then they passed the test.

The pitch wasn’t as green as seen in the pictures posted on the Ministry of Youth and Sports’ Facebook page. The patches of brown and black – showing black soil were obvious. I’m no technical person when it comes to managing pitches but it seems to me that, the grass were mowed too low.

The stands looked fresh with their polished red and yellow seats. The ripped ones are however yet to be replaced; there were noticeable empty spaces. The spaces will later have their seats. The roofing (over the VIP and media stands) that was visibly rusting have also been be changed and it looked strong. Any frequent visitor to the stadium will see the transformational work.

Maintenance Culture

Fears are however strong that, we can’t keep the facility from deteriorating in view of our poor maintenance culture, which saw us leaving the stadium to ‘rot’ in the last decade. Why we will spend our scarce financial resources on a stadium and leave it to ruins – with no proper care only means that, we love to waste resources. That’s bad!

I can only hope that, this time, there will be proper management of the facility as with time and usage, there will be wear and tear, which is very normal. We don’t have to come back in the next few years to renovate the complete structure. We’ve got to learn how to take proper care of things put in our custody.

One for Elmina Sharks’ management

I was totally appalled by the news this week that, the match day eight Ghana Premier League fixture between Elmina Sharks and Medeama at the Nduom Stadium on Wednesday ended abruptly.

Referee Nuhu Liman sustained a head injury which didn’t allow him to continue the game. An eyewitness account given by Assistant Referee, Joseph Sey on Nhyira FM and the story told by the Chairman of the Referees Association of Ghana (RAG), Joe Debrah on Okokroko FM, indicate that, Referee Nuhu was hit by a stone apparently thrown by an incensed Elmina Sharks fan.

Elmina Sharks have denied that claim. In what has been termed as a ridiculously weak explanation of what happened to the referee, Elmina Sharks, in a statement signed by their Assistant Team Manager, Kelvin Aboagye Yeboah, said the referee “tripped and fell” on a policeman’s baton.

A colleague has described me as a puritan – holier than thou – for attempting to expose the irrationality imbedded in Elmina Sharks’ statement. I can always ignore insults. They are inherently unproductive. Let me also state my admiration of Elmina Sharks, who are a well-structured, generally professional club.

And far from being judgmental (I have no power to do so), it has to be said unequivocally that, Elmina Sharks insulted the intelligence of Ghana Premier League fans with their narrative on the incident. I’m sorry but they ridiculed us while being insensitive to Referee Nuhu.

Granted that Elmina Sharks’ management didn’t to want accept guilt; because they did nothing wrong and that, there has been no investigation into what happened to irrefutably prove their culpability; all they needed to do, in my view, was to either sympathise with Referee Nuhu, at least following his head injury (even if he tripped and fell as they claim) or better still remain mute until the GFA’s Disciplinary Committee establishes their guilt or innocence.

Groupe Nduom and Elmina Sharks have stood for something nice, something decent; something positive, something productive – in practically everything they have been associated with including football. It’s the reason we must point to Elmina Sharks that, they didn’t help their image and Ghana football with that statement.

I won’t go into the incident. The GFA’s Disciplinary Committee will competently do that. The committee is however advised not to delay with its judgement on whoever is guilty or innocent; in order to inspire more confidence in the system. Delays as seen in the past in matters like this aren’t helpful.

It’s appropriate now to wish Referee Nuhu speedy recovery and further admonish the GFA, clubs, the Police and all stakeholders to work to protect referees while ensuring the safety of lives and properties at match venues. It’s important we do that as we seek to develop the game.

In the maze of Dreams FC's victory

Love or hate it, Dreams Football Club is an emerging football brand that’s leaving very good impressions on the minds of those who care to take good notice of all that the club has been up to since its return to the Ghanaian Premier League and even before.

From the off-season to the season proper, the conduct of Dreams FC in the Ghana Premier League, continuous to earn it more admirers and that, isn’t wouldn’t change now as managers of the club are in no mood to lower the standards that have given us the respect we have in the eyes of right-thinking football fans in the country. But as it’s in real life, good brands often and needlessly become the envy of those who aren’t ready to accept it, either because of their own inadequacies or that, they just don’t like you. Dreams FC can deal with both scenarios. Yes, it can.

In the past few weeks, watching the conduct of both Hearts of Oak and Asante Kotoko in matches involving Dreams FC, I’m almost coming to the conclusion that, the two clubs, who undoubtedly command the biggest following in Ghana football, are becoming very intolerant of Dreams FC. Why?

The reasons are not difficult to find. Without fear of contradiction, Hearts and Kotoko have had distressful managerial issues in recent years thus contributing painfully to their slumber on and off the field. While Hearts of Oak appear to be gearing up to wash their ‘dark’ managerial cloak, there seems to be little or no hope for Kotoko, whose skeletal management has offered scanty hope for their fans so far.

This feeling of hopelessness within the ranks of some Hearts and Kotoko fans, is making them see Dreams FC, who are charting a brilliant managerial path, as an easy target for cheap, meaningless mudslinging. They won’t succeed.

When Hearts hosted Dreams FC in Cape Coast on match day four, Dreams FC players were subjected to senseless acts of maltreatment including denying them access to their changing room upon arrival at the venue. Hearts of Oak won 1-0 after the stern competition Dreams FC gave them.

Some of their fans strangely reported that, Dreams FC rather intimidated their team. Perhaps it was tactical intimidation on the turf or that Dreams FC’s corporate image intimidated them, otherwise, the most reasonable conclusion to draw is that, something is fundamentally wrong with Hearts of Oak of today, so much that they get upset at the sight of Dreams FC.

Enter Kotoko on match day seven. Unlike Hearts, they were beaten 1-0 by Dreams FC. Their officials have been running to the media also complaining of intimidation. You can dismiss that report because Kotoko was evidently overpowered at Dawu.

It’s unfortunate that, Kotoko Chairman, Dr. Kwame Kyei suffered the embarrassment of having to be delayed at the main gate to the venue because Kotoko operatives who had his ticket and car pass were not immediately available when he arrived.

Dreams FC’s Administrative Manager, Ameenu Shardow, coming in to ensure that, the Kotoko leader, eventually had unhindered access to the venue vindicates the position that, we aren’t interested in doing things that tarnish our reputation and surely the image of Ghana football.

Why Kotoko’s twitter handle hastily reported that, Dr. Kyei was denied access and my friend; photojournalist, Gideon Boakye Botwe, also prevented from his doing his work, confirmed their eagerness to make Dreams FC look bad but they failed.

In case the handlers of Kotoko’s twitter account don’t know, let them be reminded that, their over-enthusiastic, outrageously eccentric conduct on Sunday, did no good service to Kotoko’s reputation. Dreams FC, being who we are, will not resort to violence to win matches because the price we will pay for that will be too costly.

As a professional football club, Dreams FC stand firmly by the best practices in the game and that’s what we will employ to contend with any club or any football brand in the Ghana Premier League. This shouldn’t be difficult for Hearts of Oak and Asante Kotoko to accept. Dreams FC respect them for who they are. They should accord Dreams FC the same respect.

Rogues at the gates of Len Clay Stadium

Match day five fixtures of the 2017/18 Ghana Premier League were honoured as scheduled with very interesting results recorded at venues like Obuasi and Berekum. The 3-0 humbling of Hearts of Oak by Berekum Chelsea rudely reminded the Phobians that, they aren’t out of their difficulties yet.

Ashgold fortified their place on top of the league table with an emphatic 2-0 victory over Kotoko, many of whose supporters, are also yet to come to full grasp of the incompetence of the current Management.

We can shelve that matter for another day. But then, for the umpteen time, an Ashgold-Kotoko game at the Len Clay Stadium, saw journalists accredited by the Ghana Football Association (GFA), being insulted and manhandled without any justification by agents of Ashgold, who can best be described as rogues.

The Obuasi venue has seen primitive, dehumanising behaviour at the gates for years. It leaves me wonder if Ashgold as a club truly care about the lives of journalists who cover their matches at home.

If Ashgold’s leadership aren’t worried about the slur the conduct of those miscreants at their gates casts on the club’s reputation and the overall image of the Ghana Premier League; their human predispositions should tell them that, the risk journalists experience at their gates are totally unjustified. Our lives matter.

While clubs like Dreams FC are building fantastic reputation of giving journalists access to their rightful, designated places at Dawu; providing free internet service, food and drinks; as they undertake their legitimate business; agents of Ashgold prefer to shamelessly throw punches at accredited journalists.

On match day four last season, same Ashgold-Kotoko game, it happened. Journalists with the GFA’s media accreditation were thrown out. Not even police personnel detailed at the venue could stop the mindless thugs they employ. That was the fifth consecutive time, I had seen waywardness at Ashgold’s gates.

Incidents of journalists being maltreated at venues like Obuasi are disgraceful. Colleagues reported that, Sunday’s incident actually happened in the presence of Ashgold’s CEO. The GFA’s repeated condemnation of those acts at Obuasi are all right but not enough. We have had too many of them in recent years.

GFA spokesman, Ibrahim Sannie Daara has apologised to the media for Sunday’s incident, promising to look into the matter but that’s a story we’ve been told every season. Let the GFA note that, the negative reportage we all hate to see about the Ghana Premier League, often starts with their failure to adequately punish the awry, outrageous conduct of clubs and their officials.

It makes no sense for journalists to travel on our dangerous roads for hours and for hundreds of kilometres to venues like Obuasi, only to be senselessly assaulted at rogues at the gates. Let the GFA and club managers watch these acts, for, they all combine to destroy the image of the Ghana Premier League.

It was close contest on GPL match day four

If you didn’t find anything interesting on match day four of the 2017/18 Ghana Premier League, you certainly didn’t follow the matches played across the country from Saturday. It may still be early days but on match day four, I saw an intense competition for points.

At the end of the day, the league table reveals a keen contest so far. Except leaders Ashgold who have 10 points; WAFA, Hearts of Oak, Asante Kotoko, Dreams FC and Medeama – all have seven points. They are only separated by goals and even with that, the numbers are very close. Inter Allies are 7th on the table with six points while debutants Eleven Wonders are 8th with five points.

From the 9th to 14th place, all the teams have 4 points. Match day five surely will be explosive. Here’s my wrap of the weekend’s matches starting on Saturday. Ashgold couldn’t continue their winning streak. Bechem United applied the brakes on them as they drew 1-1 at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium.

The draw by Ashgold gave me indications that, their form hasn’t been as sharp as I imagined. If WAFA were brilliant on match days two and three, beating Liberty and Aduana Stars 3-0 and 2-0 at Dansoman and Sogakope respectively; they weren’t impressive on match day four.

WAFA’s shine was missing on Saturday night. Elmina Sharks’ 2-0 win over them reinforced the often-held view that, WAFA are bad travelers. The floodlights going off after 68 minutes in the Sharks-WAFA game was damper to the action that was building up to the end of proceedings.

Nonetheless, electricity restored and Elmina Sharks went on to bad their first three points in the season. Pressure will ease on the back of Elmina Sharks coach, Yaw Acheampong.

Aduana Stars’ 6-0 pummeling of Inter Allies re-established the inherent quality of midfielder, Yahaya Mohammed, who scored a hat trick in 30 minutes. The result also fortified the notion that, Aduana Stars are just good at home.

Hearts of Oak took their chance against Dreams FC winning 1-0 at their new home, Cape Coast. I’m however not convinced that, Hearts have hit good form, and Dreams FC will bounce back on match day five. Liberty Professionals’ difficulty with winning was apparent again at Dansoman.

Their failure to score a penalty made Medeama return to Tarkwa with a point from the 1-1 draw. Liberty would have to dig deep and start winning before relegation beckons. Coach Johnson Smith had his first win with Karela United, who Ebusua Dwarfs 3-0. Dwarfs’ coach, Bashir Hyaford accused his goalkeeper, Frank Andoh of gifting Karela United goals.

Don’t you like Bashir Hayford’s takes on matches? Asante Kotoko returned from Tarkwa on match day three crying foul of cheating. Interestingly, Eleven Wonders left Kumasi with the same accusations of cheating against Kotoko and the referee because Wonders’ late-minute goal was disallowed. With Jordan Opoku’s 83rd minute fortuitous strike, Kotoko won 1-0.

Wa All Stars were victorious in their first game after they sacked coach, Mumuni Sokpari. Was Coach Sokpari the reason for Wa All Stars inability to win previous matches? I can’t answer that now.

Fussing and fighting over GPL’s reputation

If you are new to some of the local media commentaries on the reputation of the Ghana Premier League (GPL), you may easily assume that, some commentators have personal problems with the Ghana Football Association (GFA). Their discourse especially in the electronic media can get so vitriolic that, you can mistakenly think that, they want to see the GPL in tatters. They say it’s just passion for the GPL.

Pardon me if this is a naïve assumption but I’m so doubtful that, there are indeed sections of the local media, who actually want the GPL and GFA to fail. In my opinion, regardless of how local media houses pay particular attention to European leagues for all the good reasons that are usually cited (like the fact that the English Premier League for instance has massive following in Ghana, so it makes business sense to spend airtime on it); it’s still undeniable that, a thriving GPL will be very helpful to the local media.

So, why would the local media seek the downfall of the failure of the GPL? I have and will continuously hold the view that, negativity in the GPL has never been the creation of the local media. Excuse my ignorance; from how I look at things, I’m yet to come across any local media house that deliberately fabricates and broadcasts negative stories about the GPL with the sole objective of making it look ugly.

The current season is so young but we’ve had a healthy competition. As a result, I wouldn’t want to recount specific examples of incidents that in the past impaired the reputation of the GPL. This season, despite the court litigation that delayed the start of the GPL, the Premier League Board (PLB) and the GFA have taken certain pivotal steps to enhance the GPL’s reputation. Nothing is too small in my view.

The criticism of the beauty of the GPL’s logo notwithstanding, I was for example happy that, at long last, the competition was given an identity at that level. Print media houses, online and television outlets have all been using the GPL logo which leaves an imprint on the minds of people once they see it.

Broadcast right holders, StarTimes earlier on created a bit of storm with their live match schedule. Yet StarTimes’ coverage has been fine. Clubs like Dreams FC, WAFA, Hearts, Inter Allies, Elmina Sharks and Karela United have been doing decent media coverage of their activities; that, in my view, is steadily contributing to enhancing the GPL’s reputation. The local media can only mirror that.

The thought, then, is that, if club managers with the PLB/GFA will take positive strides at their level; the tendency for the local media to report the good strides will be high. The onus therefore lies not really on the local media to create positive GPL stories. For me, the responsibility rather lies heavily on club managers and the GFA to employ the right practices in their scheme of things.

The local media has its role but that doesn’t include running clubs professionally or taking decisions at the GFA. So, the fussing and fighting over the GPL’s reputation must stop. Nobody hates the GPL. A decent GPL will benefit clubs, fans, the local media and the GFA.

Major stakeholders like clubs and the FA must just to sit up. They should direct their energies towards the continuous adherence, fair and timely enforcement of rules set for the competition. They should look for professional, innovative ways of managing the brands at their disposal, because, it’s the aggregation of their individual efforts wherever they are that combine to enhance the GPL’s reputation.

The changes in Asante Kotoko technical

Coach Steven Polack and Godwin Ablordey

I’m one unashamed critic of poor managerial structures at football clubs in Ghana. I’m convinced beyond reasonable doubt that, the absence of documented development plans at most of our clubs is one of the biggest disservice club owners and managers in the country are doing to all stakeholders of the game.

It’s in fact, one of the major contributing factors to the largely under-developed nature of our domestic leagues. Having comprehensive plans for the growth of our clubs and seeing to the successful implementation of these plans will have a telling effect on the looks of our clubs and leagues.

That’s why I was moved by the report that, Kotoko have made changes in their technical team. First, the Management must be commended. The changes are in line with the “Vision of the club’s Management to restructure, strengthen and sharpen the focus of [the] senior and developmental teams” I read.

That’s impressive. Team Manager, and CAF License ‘A’ Coach, Godwin Ablordey is the new Technical Director of the Youth Team. Former Kotoko captain, Henry Ohene Brenya is the new Team Manager. Steven Polack maintains Head Coach position with his Akakpo Patron, also a former Kotoko player, as his Assistant. Another former player, Stephen Oduro is the Welfare Manager.

For a club that lacked firm technical direction at some point last season, the changes should be seen as healthy. In terms of managerial experience, questions can be asked as to how Ohene Brenya and Stephen Oduro will fare in their new fields but given their rich knowledge of Kotoko as ex-players, they shouldn’t have problems in their respective offices.

For me, regardless of how poor the Management handled Coach Michael Osei’s case last season, when he was sent to the Youth Team, I insist that, Mickey should have taken the job not alone to prove a point, but also, I had the premonition that, Zdravko Logarusic wasn’t going to stay on for long, and that, Mickey definitely would’ve been recalled.

I chipped in that to explain my position that, Godwin Ablordey must graciously accept his new portfolio and work assiduously on the club’s youth team. It has to be pointed out however, that, if Ablordey will be successful, much will depend on the sort of direction the Management offers in formulating tried and tested youth development policies for his department, which is crucial.

On the surface, Ablordey, Oduro, Brenya and Kotoko as a whole, have everything to succeed. What I’m not convinced of is the level of support they would receive from the Management, which so far, hasn’t demonstrated the right administrative shrewdness – that is, the thinking and planning needed to return the mighty Asante Kotoko to the top echelons of African club football.

The Management’s mandate in November 2016 was clear: “To reshape the administrative structure of the club to infuse professionalism and competence at all levels of its operations…To consolidate the position of Kotoko at the top of the domestic league and advance further to take its rightful place among the elite clubs of continental African soccer”.

This certainly can’t be achieved in a year. And it can conveniently be said that, there’s still more time. The plain truth is, administratively, there hasn’t been enough evidence to be sure that, Kotoko can compete favourably on the continent any time soon. Changes in the administrative setup and pragmatic proof of the direction the club is being taken to will also be helpful ahead of the new season.