...They can't turn pro now

The present crop of the National U-17 team, the Black Starlets will not be allowed to join the exodus train for Europe until they reach maturity.

Announcing this at a press conference in Accra yesterday, the chairman of the Ghana Football Association(GFA),Nana Sam Brew Butler said in this regard all the 22 players would be bonded before the U-17 World Cup in Egypt to prevent them from suffering some of the pitfalls that have dodged the path of their predecessors.

Nana Brew Butler said that interested clubs could monitor the players of their choice until they are 18 and then properly negotiate with their clubs for their eventual release. He said that the players in that wise, would be accorded the necessary protection from exploitation as national assets for an orderly and impactful entry into professional soccer. The chairman of the GFA also announced a package of C44 million for the Black Starlets who emplane for South Africa tomorrow in defence of their Africa title.

The 22 players will each receive C500,000 at the end of the preliminary round, then a further C700,000 each will be paid to them after winning the semi-final match. If the Starlets retain the African title, they stand to gain C800,000 each. It is expected that the package will solve the motivational problems which have in recent times adversely affected the performance of the national teams.

Source: Ghana Home Page