Ali Jarrah not happy with GFA

Ali Jarrah, a former national under-17 goalkeeper, on Monday said he was saddened by the lack of support from officials of the Ghana Football Association (GFA) ever since he was hit by an inexplicable ailment nine years ago.

He told GNA Sports in an interview that both the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the GFA have failed to accord him any official assistance. Jarrah, a member of the silver medallist U-17 team in Japan in 1993 and once a prolific goalkeeper of Accra Hearts of Oak said, "I have come to believe that once one gets out of the limelight, his/her entire contribution, efforts and commitment are forgotten".

"I have not received any assistance from the GFA and the Ministry of Youth and Sports when treating an injury I sustained when serving my nation", the pale looking goalkeeper told the GNA.

Jarrah, now 25, who expressed disappointment over the treatment being meted out to him by the soccer authorities has vowed never to allow any of his two sons to play football, let alone don the national jersey. He said he has been using the Accra Stadium May 9 disaster as a decoy to discourage the children from loving soccer.

Goalkeeper Jarrah was however grateful to individual Ghanaians who have made life a bit comfortable for him adding that life would have been a "hell" without the support from such people.

When quizzed whether soccer in Ghana is being run professionally, the player said, "Our football is being run semi-professionally especially in terms of player-club issues, player's salary and facilities".

He called on the football authorities to give a critical look at securing the future of players adding, "since a players' career could come under threat at any time, having an insurance cover will be a major boost". He expressed gratitude to his mother club, Accra Hearts of Oak, for giving him a monthly allowance of 350,000 cedis for his upkeep.