Dropped World Cup Players Get US$5,000 Golden Handshakes

The six players axed from Ghana’s final World Cup list were given a golden handshake of US$5,000 each, a source within the Ghana camp has told Ghanasoccernet.

The Ghana FA is reported to have reached the conclusion with government before payment to the players was effected. The players who were supposed to have benefited from the golden handshake payments are Emmanuel Agyemang Badu, Haminu Dramani, Benard Kumordji, Stephen Adams, Laryea Kingston and Eric Addo.

That is because all the players were named in the original 30-man squad list named by Serbian coach Milovan Rajevac. It is not known if Michael Essien was included in the windfall. But Ghanasoccernet sources say Kingston did not collect the pay-off even though the Ghana FA is yet to confirm.

SOme players left the Ghana World Cup camp bitterly disappointed that they were not named in the final squad while others took it in good faith. While some players will see the US$5,000 as peanuts, for Adams, who plays for local side Aduana Stars the cash is a massive windfall.

Salaries in the local league in Ghana are meagre so the goalkeeper is expected to be happy over money even though he could have been massively richer if he made the final squad.