Ex-Black Stars Coach, Kwesi Appiah who is now with Sudanese football club, Al Khartoum, has called on the Ministry of Youth and Sports to take a second look at the negotiation of winning bonuses to the senior national team.
Mr. James Kwesi Appiah in an interview with GhanaCelebrities.Com reporter Kofi Oppong Kyekyeku during a ceremonial match between BA United Oldies and Asante Kotoko Oldies in honour of the Late King George Arthur who was a former player of BA United and Asante Kotoko at the Sunyani coronation park, cautioned the Ministry of Youth and Sports to desist from the “take it or leave it” agenda in respect to the Black Stars wining bonuses.
Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports Mr. Vincent Oppong Asamoah announced last month a decision made by his outfit to drastically cut the winning bonuses of the Black Stars which takes effect from their next AFCON 2017 Qualifier matches this September. In the proposed plans, the current $10,000 winning bonus will be cut by 50 percent to $5,000 in a ” in a take it or leave” approach.
Mr. Kwesi Appiah, called on the players, the GFA, the Ministry of Youth and Sports; and all stakeholders to come into consensus in negotiating their bonuses rather than being autocratic.
“If all the players are aware that this is what they’re earning after every game and you want to slash it out, it’s better you hammer out a deal with them rather than being bossy in your decision as it breeds chaos in the team”
The Al Khartoum Coach averred that; the Ministry should first discuss and come in an agreement with the team when issues like this crop up before they relay the info into the public domain.
“I will not encourage them to be chaotic if such decisions are made but I will urge the Ministry to resolve this amicably to shoulder peace into the team,” he said.
On what motivated his squad during their playing days, he emphasized that they played for the love of the game either than money as seen in recent times.
“In those days, we played for the love of the game unlike today where everything is all money which has surpassed the love of the game”.
Kwesi Appiah advised the Black Stars of Ghana to refrain from complacency in their AFCON 2017 qualifiers as all teams are at their peaks.