Stars will not oppose contract - GFA

The Ghana Football Association says it is confident that players of the senior national team, the Black Stars, will not be opposed to the signing of a contract with the association.

Ibrahim Saani Daara, the communications Director of the GFA, says the players have already been briefed about the contract and why it has become necessary for them to sign a contract before playing for the country.

“After the events that happened in Brazil, we think the signing of a contract is a fine opportunity for the players to cover themselves in glory. Things have changed at the FA, and I believe the players will understand that.”

Players of the Black Stars are expected to officially sign a contract with the Ghana Football Association later today, Tuesday, September 2, 2014.

The GFA is determined to let the players sign the contract before Saturday’s 2015 Nations Cup qualifier against Uganda in Kumasi.

The contract will address issues such as the amount to be earned by players during qualifiers, mode of payment and general comportment, among other things.

The signing of a contract by players of the senior national team has become necessary following events that erupted in the Black Stars’ camp during the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.

The Black Stars held officials, and by extension the entire country, to ransom when they demanded that their World Cup appearance fees be paid in cash instead of wire transfers and cheques. The players also demanded $100,000 as appearance fees even though the Government of Ghana had agreed to pay them $82,500.

The players threatened to boycott their final Group G game against Portugal unless they received their monies. That prompted the President of Ghana, John Mahama, to order for over $3m to be airlifted to Brazil to pay the players.

Since their return to Ghana, the GFA resolved to make changes and lay rules that will forestall such eventualities in the future.

“On Tuesday, we have planned a meeting with the players – that is management and the Ministry for Youth and Sports [most likely it will be the Minister or his deputy] – to discuss issues of a contract for the players.

“It is the first time the Minister or his deputy will be meeting the team so we will want to use that opportunity on Tuesday evening for the players to be introduced to the new Sports Minister and also to get some briefing about the way we intend to go forward with how things are done with the team,” Saani Daara briefed the press last Friday.