My salary was GH₵150 - Ex-Asante Kotoko defender Agaa Willie

Former Kumasi Asante Kotoko defender, William Thompson has decried the terrible working conditions of players in the Ghana Premier League, demanding urgent action.

Popularly known as Aga Willie in his heyday, Thompson who is now based in France identified the low remuneration as the major problem facing the Ghana Premier League.

He bemoaned that players are sometimes made to depend on paltry sums which are not even paid promptly.

In an interview with blogger, Kobby Kyei, William Thompson disclosed that he was on a GH₵150 monthly salary during his time at Asante Kotoko.

“I was receiving 1.5 million cedis (GH₵150) and that is not even up to 500 euros. I couldn’t do anything with it because were buying our boots and other equipment. It was unfortunate and unfair.

“A Premier League player is a mature man possibly with a wife and kids so if you pay the person GH₵1000, how much of it can he save? He will use parts of that to take care of his family, and buy food, utilities and other things, he said.

Thompson also commented on the current struggles of the Black Stars, charging the players to step in and give a good account of themselves.

“They should step up because it appears there is too much laxity in the team. Back then, Black Stars call-ups always triggered happiness in players as they were determined and proud to do something for the country but it is not the same anymore.

“The players appear careless sometimes. It’s as if they don’t care. Lately, we even struggle to string passes together. Back then, countries like Comoros were no match for Ghana but now they even beat us,” he said.

William Thompson’s comments follow the recent defeat by the Black Stars to Comoros in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.

The Black Stars after snatching a late 1-0 winner over Madagascar on November 17, 2023, succumbed to Comoros in an away fixture.



EK