Sports News of Thursday, 22 August 2024

Source: footballghana.com

Government must support the local league before it collapses - Sannie Daara

Ibrahim Sannie Daara Ibrahim Sannie Daara

Former Ghana Football Association (GFA) Communications Director, Ibrahim Sannie Daara, has issued a strong warning to the government, calling for urgent support for Ghanaian football clubs.

He stressed the importance of this support to prevent the collapse of the domestic leagues.

As the Ghana Premier League struggles to secure sponsors and a TV broadcast deal for the 2024/25 season, the financial challenges facing the league have become more apparent.

Player salaries in the local leagues remain low, leading to an exodus of top talent to overseas clubs at the end of each season.

Daara, a former BBC journalist, highlighted the critical need for government intervention to sustain football at the national level.

Speaking to Joy Sports, he stated that without state support, the future of Ghanaian football is at risk.

“When a footballer sees that there's no life beyond the football he's playing after 35 years, they don't earn so much. Most of the teams, all the teams in Ghana today, are owned by individuals,” he noted.

"It is individuals who are funding and paying for the kids of people, or Ghanaian youth, to become who they are.

"The state must support them. It must not be a one-man effort.

“Otherwise, our domestic leagues will die, and it will be on their heads,” he concluded.