It was our money - Black Meteors player hits back at Ghanaian critics

Black Meteors winger, Zubairu Ibrahim has said the team deserved their bonuses and thus had the right to demand the money.

According to an earlier report, the Black Meteors nearly boycotted their final group game at the 2023 U-23 African Youth Championship in Morocco over unpaid qualification bonuses after beating Mozambique and Algeria to qualify for the tournament.

Zubairu confirmed that players made a collective decision to ask whether payments have been made.

“It belongs to us so we have to… and It wasn’t just one player. It was a collective decision to ask whether the bonuses that were promised before the Algeria game were ready,” he told 3Sports.

Ghana went on to share spoils with Guinea. The draw confirmed their exit from the tournament, finishing third in Group A with 4 points.

With a better goal difference, Guinea progressed alongside Morocco who topped the group with a 100 percent record.

Speaking at the GFA's 29th Congress on Monday, July 10, 2023, Sports Minister Mustapha Ussif slammed the players for being money focused instead of delivery at the tournament.

“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 opportunity to all our national teams, get them flight tickets for camping opportunities, accommodate them for a very long period, feed them, give them trial matches, then when these players get to tournament, instead of focusing on the tournament, the focus is now on bonuses,".

“Is time for our players to value the national colors, the flag of our country, the flag of our nation.”

“There should continue to have confidence in the young teams. Even though we couldn’t make it, our U-20s are also playing and will need the support.

EE/KPE