Black Stars winning bonus debate

It looks like issues relative to the senior national team, the Black Stars and their winning bonuses wouldn’t die down soon. From the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil to the Presidential Commission of Inquiry into what happened in Brazil till today; the Black Stars and their money issues continue to dominate news headlines.

I don’t see these headlines taking the back stage until perhaps the Ghana Football Association (GFA) and entire country exhaustively discuss and agree on what appears to be a thorny issue.

Elsewhere matters concerning financial reward for players of the national football team won’t generate the kind of debate ours have generated for over a year now but in a country where decisive leadership continues to be absent; in a country where most people and in fact, the ordinary folk see those with political power and authority as corrupt and insensitive; in a country where money appears to be the only thing even kids think about; this shouldn’t be surprising.

There’s no doubt that, most of us are passionate about football. Football is the passion of the nation and we’re usually obsessed about the Black Stars. Until recently when many became indifferent to the Black Stars, there was always high enthusiasm when the Black Stars arrived and were about to either play a home game or participate in a competition.

Ghanaians love their Black Stars but Ghanaians are also sensible people who won’t accept anything just because they are obsessed about it. That’s why there was resentment among Black Stars admirers when the team disappointingly allowed money to ruin their ambition at the last FIFA World Cup.

Revelations at the Presidential Commission of Inquiry (PIC) worsened the anger towards the team but time heals the most painful of wounds. With time, the hostility many had shown to the Black Stars subsided – making way for the return of Ghanaians’ intense love for the team.

The White Paper the PCI’s report plus details of the report itself made publicised by the media caused an uproar but in my view it didn’t lead to disillusionment against the Black Stars since the government’s white paper and the commission’s report didn’t seem to have conclusively established what went wrong in Brazil and how to avoid it in future.

That explains why there’s no finality to the winning bonus-issue of the Black Stars. Last week, some stories indicated that, the Black Stars will now be paid US$5,000 each as winning bonus. In a country like ours, where practically everybody that works in the government sector has gone on strike in the last two or three years in search of better working conditions; US$5,000 each for players of the Black Stars is reasonably good coming from state coffers.

After all, what the Black Stars do for the nation can be termed as national service. The pride that come with rendering that service should be compensating enough. It’s however sad and shameful to observe that, the pride and honour of representing one’s country at international football events no long exist in most of our players. 

I wouldn’t blame the players that much because the very people who should have imbibed civic and nationalistic feelings in the players sadly seek money first when they travel with the team. Why will the players be any different in that case? Most leaders – not just in our football arena but in virtually every sector of life in Ghana do not serve with the objective of making Ghana better.

They serve with the aim of selfishly lining their pockets; taking home “something” for their families so again, why would anybody working with or under these leaders be any different? I have no problem with the slash of Black Stars players’ bonuses except to argue that, the decision to reduce it shouldn’t be unilateral. If it’s the players who wouldn’t be invited (for obvious reasons) to negotiate; the GFA ought to be consulted.

It’s the GFA that has been mandated to manage Ghana football. They actually manage the Black Stars. Any decision on the Black Stars’ winning bonus that doesn’t take into cognizance the GFA’s stance could lead to petty and avoidable problems. The team should be spared any rancour over money.