Koufie said in a radio interview on Monday
monitored by the GNA Sports that allowances, bonuses and other benefits for
players invited for national assignments are unduly delayed and this was the
cause of the "abysmal performance of the national under-17 and 21 teams
over the weekends."
The Starlets were
knocked out in the first round of the qualifiers by the Harambe
Stars of Kenya while the Satellites failed to qualify for the World Youth
Championship when they lost 2-3 to
The GFA Boss said,
"if this happens, players are ill motivated and
are unable to perform to the best of their abilities". He said hitherto,
the GFA was blamed for poor planning but added that the trend has now changed.
"As at now, most of the national teams go to camp for at least six weeks
to two months, but the main problem has been non-availability of funds for our
objectives to be achieved".
Koufie said due to the delay by the Ministry of
Finance in releasing funds the GFA is compelled to pre-finance the national
teams, but the Association lacks the resources to do. He cited for instance
that the GFA had to pre-finance the airfare of the Black Satellites to the
unsuccessful African Youth Championship in Burkina.
On the way forward,
Mr. Koufie said, the only panacea to the perennial
problem is to limit the number of international competitions the country should
be engaging in especially if the nation has no funds to prepare the teams.
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Takoradi (Western
Region)
He said fielding of
over-aged players had been a major problem facing the various national teams. Pele, who was speaking to GNA sports in an interview at the
10th National Milo Colts Championship at Takoradi said the use of
weighing scales to determine the age of players for the under 14, 17 and 20 are
meant to reduce cheating.
He said the focus
of the GFA to adopt a new youth policy, is to motivate and encourage more youth
to be groomed for all national teams. Pele who
expressed his satisfaction at the level of play and display of unrefined
talents said Ghana, would re-emerge as a football giant in the next few years.
He called on all
stakeholders to involve the youth in their development plans and cautioned that
"any neglect would be detrimental to our development agenda".
Pele noted that though the use of weighing
scales would encounter some problems, "all efforts must be made to make
soccer a very fair and truthful game".
He called on
residents in the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis to visit
any of the eight football centres to cheer the teams.
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Accra (Greater
Accra) 14 January 2003 - Supporters of Okwawu United
Football Club have been called upon to contribute meaningfully to the
development of the club to enable it recapture its past glories.
Nana Kwaku Asiedu-Donkor, the
newly-appointed chairman of the club, made the call in an interview with GNA
Sports in Accra on Monday. He also advised them to desist from hooliganism,
which he said, does not augur well for the smooth running of a football club.
Nana Asiedu-Donkor said the club would still use the Accra
Sports Stadium for its home matches this year until the renovation work
currently going on at the Nkawkaw Park is completed.
He said as a means
of generating funds for the club, the management has decided to sell souvenirs
of the club during matches. The chairman said the club is in the process of
securing sponsorship for this year's league season and called on all
football-loving citizens of Okwawu to rally behind
the club in its bid to conquer Africa next year.
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Cape Coast (Central
Region) 14 January 2003 - The Cape Coast municipal referees association has
appealed to GFA to increase officiating fees of referees handling premier
league matches from ¢150,000 to ¢200,000 and division one league matches from
¢96,000 to ¢150,000.
Dawson Ahmoah, chairman of the association made the appeal at an
end of year party organised by the association for its members at Savoy Hotel
on Saturday at
The association
later honoured Percy Aryee, vice chairman of the
association who has retired as referee after 20 years service. In appreciation
of his service, the association presented a certificate of honour to him.
At another party
organised by the management of Wa Judy Bless, premier
league campaigners at
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Cape Coast (Central
Region) 14 January 2003 - Sekondi Eleven Wise played
a determined game to beat Mpohor Iron Fighters 2-1 in
their first division league match played at the Cape Coast sports stadium on
Sunday.
Both sides started
the match strongly but Wise had the edge in the attack and shot into the lead
through inside right Francis Eduhene in the 24th
minute. Iron Fighters recovered swiftly and equalised through outside left Ebow Mends in the 27th minute.
From then on the
game became balanced until the 44th minute when outside right Saloo Musa mounted the tally to
2-1 with a header. On resumption both sides matched their opponents boot for
boot until the 89th minute when outside right Eric Asante raised the tally to 3-1 with a header.
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Koforidua (Greater
Accra)
Midtylland
who scored a goal in each half, took the lead in the 15 minutes when William
Hammond's shot slipped through the hands of goalkeeper Tahiru
Salifu. The more youthful Akwatia boys put up a good
fight to pull an equaliser but could not beat the more matured defenders of Midtylland until the end of first half.
When play resumed
in the second half, both teams made some changes, but it was the Maamobi boys who dominated the exchanges and pushed more
men forward in search for the second goal.
In the 86th
minute, Hammond who collected a pass from a colleague was brought down by
Diamond's goalie Salifu in the penalty area to earn the
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The league has been
bridged hence, and instead of the usual first and second rounds; the teams
would have to contend in only one round to book a ticket for a berth in the
national middle league. This rather tough decision though, is as a results of a
prolong legal tussle between the Ghana Football Association and Tudu Mighty Jets, which fortunately has injected some
competitiveness into the league, which hitherto climaxes the second round.
Former embattled
GFA Vice Chairman, Joseph Ade Coker's A. C. Olympiakos, revived his premiership hopes, which took a
jolt last season, with an emphatic 3-1 thrashing of Mighty Jets. That victory
however, is yet to invoke the competitive spirit of the Olympiakos
boys as the real test is yet to come on Wednesday. The team trek to Koforidua
to battle former premier division side Great Afienya
United in a duel of equals.
Afienya would be trying to make amends after
drawing with fellow former premier side Kwaebibirem
in their first match. The Zone 3A also, involves other eight teams who would be
fighting to qualify from the group.
On the same day,
Diamond Stars who lost 0-2 to Midtjlland, play King Solomon
at the Dawu Stadium, Sportnet
lock horns with Mamobi Midtjlland
at the Legon Park, Kwaebibirem clash with Real
Sportive at the Accra Sports Stadium while Seven United meet with Mighty Jets
at the Liberty Park.
In Zone 3B Tema Ghapoha Readers engage Prampram
Mighty Royals at the Tema Stadium while the rest of the matches in the zone
will be honoured on Thursday.
At the Accra Sports
Stadium, two
Good old Swedru All
Blacks which went into recession some four seasons ago,
would re-launch their fight-back to the premiership as they pitch their
strength against Odupong Warriors at the Cape Coast
Stadium on Wednesday.
In the same Zone
2B, Dwarfs play BRM at the Swedru Stadium, Vipers against Salgado at Sekondi, while on Thursday, Iron Fighters meet with Bafana.
In Zone 2A, Obuasi Adansi
versus Gold Stars, Cornerstone meet Neoplan, Gag Roos clash with Kaaseman, Krofrom F.C versus
White Eagles while Samartex lock horns with Amansie.
Judy Bless versus Kwamax at Wa
while Upper West Heroes versus Soccer Ambassador at Lawra
in a Zone 1B encounters. Other matches in Zone 1B are Pro Sports versus Topsymore scheduled for Tachiman
and Kintampo versus Frontiers at Sunyani.
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