George Afriyie: Black Stars not thinking about bonuses

Black Stars management committee chairman George Afriyie says the players are focused on ‘winning matches’ rather than being concerned with the rewards thereafter.

Ghana are into the semi finals of the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations having recovered from a disastrous start.

The Black Stars come up against hosts Equatorial Guinea on Thursday to fight for a place in Sunday’s finals to be played in Bata.

Issues of bonuses gained by the Black Stars players have hogged the headlines in recent times.

Ghana’s disastrous campaign at the 2014 World Cup was partly attributed to the agitation by players over delayed payment of bonuses.

The players ultimately suffered the wrath of Ghanaian fans who felt the Black Stars players were more concerned about their bonuses rather than giving their all in matches for the nation.

But the team’s management committee chairman George Afriyie insists the current crop are solely focused on delivering the desired results for Ghanaians at the 2015 AFCON and have thus relegated issues of bonuses and other rewards to the background.

“I believe that before we came here we made it clear that all issues of remuneration, winning bonus, appearance fee, whatever, was discussed and agreed,” he said.

“Once a while we receive some sort of motivation package like the one that UniBank announced recently.

“But let me be honest with you, the boys have told us, for once that their focus is to win matches.

“When they finish whatever is due them, they will come for it. “So it is not like go and win your semi final match and come for this and that is how come they will go there and perform well, no.

“Trust me, the boys are focused and are determined and they are ready to make sure that for once they will turn things around.

“And so it is not about how much they will earn or the promises.”