Sustaining the momentum of the Ghana Premier League

After the flamboyant start of the 2015/16 Ghana Premier League, I did an opinion sampling on FACEBOOK and TWITTER among club administrators, players, coaches and fans as to how we can sustain the level of interest in the league and maintain the numbers at the various match venues.

I know we all love the Ghana Premier League and have been striving to get it up just like the South African PSL or the Egyptian Premier League.

After the first week's round of matches, I think the huge attendance recorded at the various centers, must be attributed to the media for a great job done and we must tap ourselves on the shoulder as a media group.

I asked the following questions on facebook and twitter in an attempt to find the causes of the high numbers witnessed and how we can build upon that to reach greater heights.

How did we record such great numbers?

What role did the media and the clubs play to record these huge numbers?

How do we sustain it till the end of the season?

What role can the clubs play to sustain and maintain the attendance?

Do players also have a role to play to sustain the numbers?

What about coaches?

After asking the questions, discerning club administrators, players, coaches and fans did not hesitate in providing me with the best of suggestions to move our game forward.

After collating the ideas and suggestions of close to 250 people on both facebook and twitter, below is a summary:

Players output must be excellent. Players are the principal actors of the game of football. The skills they display and the talent they showcase intensifies our love for the game. Their output should therefore be exceptional to attract the fans as the fans will have who to watch at a particular centre every week.

There must be an open relationship between the media and the clubs. This has hugely improved of late. Clubs are now seeing the positive effect of the media on their products and are opening up. However, a few clubs still shield their players from the media. This relationship must be strengthened to sustain the interest and keep the fans coming.

The clubs must create artificial rivalry and tension ahead of their matches with our help as media men [There is no rivalry between some clubs. As a result, we must create artificial ones. For instance, there is no rivalry between Inter Allies and say Dreams FC. In such a situation, the clubs must let the players brag about their chances, and the media should hype the game from there, just like what Happy FM did with Latif Blessing and Yaya Mohammed]

The judicial bodies of the FA must be very responsive and fair in their adjudication. I must commend the Referees Appointment Committee and the DC for taking swift decisions on some referees and players respectively. It must continue to free the system of any junk files.

The clubs must employ the right people for the right positions. Most of the clubs do not have qualified personnel to handle delicate marketing positions which are affecting the output of the clubs. A few of the clubs have tried getting some of such personnel with many not having. This area must be augmented by the clubs.

The clubs must use social media to their advantage. Social media is a free advertising and marketing tool for the clubs but interestingly, few of our clubs respect that. A greater part of the clubs does not even have active twitter and facebook handles and some do not have at all. Social media is too cheap for the clubs to avoid. I don't want to mention names, but some of the club administrators are more popular on social media than the clubs they run. Very childish. Clubs must use social media to push themselves.

The media must preview and review matches.

The media must hype the players more than club officials. As stated above, club administrators always want to be in the media while the principal actors; coaches and players are neglected. We need to change from that.

Coaches must talk tactics and not 'if God permit'. Amazingly, this was suggested by a coach. Pre and post match interviews of most of our coaches have been dominated by the phrase 'If God permits'. We know there is God but our coaches must speak tactics to make the fans fall in love with the terminologies of the game. I am waiting for the day a coach will tell us the system he will be using for a match. Will it be 4:4:2 or 4:3:3 or my favourite 4:2:3;1 or Coach Opeele's 4:6:0. I miss that gentleman.

We must make the fans feel the emotions attached to the game.

Clubs must make players available for TVs and radios for live programs. This will make the fans know who they are going to watch.

Clubs must get their communities involved in their activities. Organizing monthly or quarterly clean up exercise with the players mingling with the people is a nice strategy. Players from their communities too must find their way into the teams to make the people feel part of the clubs.

Clubs must have vibrant communications departments.

We must have a smooth running league devoid of stoppages.

Players must be active on social media.

Artificial tension and rivalry from coaches must be encouraged.

The media must discuss the local league more than the foreign leagues.

Concentration on players and coaches by the media not administrators

Club Media Officers can record the post match reactions of players and share on platforms like what Saani Daara does during Black Stars games. Asante Kotoko Communications Manager, Kwaku Ahenkorah must be highly commended for this.

Players must do well to excel to keep the momentum

I know you also have more. Bring them on board and let's together move our football forward.

Long Live Ghana Football!!

Long Live Ghana Premier League!!!

Long Live Mother Ghana.!!!!