The Minister for Youth and Sports Minister Mustapha Ussif, has heavily criticized national team players for underestimating the privilege of earning national team call-ups and the rare opportunity of wearing the national colours but rather focusing on bonuses at every given time.

He indicated that the government over the years has been committing huge financial resources to the national teams spanning from flight tickets, camping, organizing friendly games, accommodation, and the expenses during main competitions.

However, in his view players have in recent times been fighting the Football Association and the government over their winning bonuses at tournaments, a situation that has caused a downward spiral of the national teams in major tournaments at all levels.

Speaking at the 29th GFA Ordinary Congress in Kumasi on Monday, July 10, Ussif stressed the need for accountability in the areas of stewardship, transparency in all transactions, Memorandum of Understanding, sponsorship packages, and agreements entered into by the FA with both foreign and local partners.

“I find it very difficult to comprehend and understand that the state will make all the resources available by making sure that we want to give the opportunity to all our national teams, get their flight tickets for camping opportunities, accommodate them for a very long period, feed them, give them trial matches, then when these players get to the tournament, instead of focusing on the tournament, the focus is now on bonuses.”

He called out the players to value the national colours. “It is time for our players to value the national colours, the flag of our country, the flag of our nation.”

The Youth and Sports Minister urged the FA and the technical teams to include the spirit of nationalism in the players as part of their development process and also commended FA President Kurt Okraku for the measures outlined to revive the sports and reiterated the government’s commitment to supporting the course.

LSN/DO