FEATURED: The current state of Our League

In the last few months, there has been an unending debate about the current state of our once-beloved league. Whiles some hold the opinion that the league is still a toast of many football folks in the country others hold a slightly titled opinion to that assertion. 



There are many things that have plagued the downfall of our league, its decline didn’t start today, we have seen, the huge spectatorship that massed up at Baba Yara Sports Stadium and Accra Sports Stadium on game days take a significant hit.

I know you know that our beloved league used to be up there with the very best on the African continent but in the last few seasons that script has changed, the swirl and patronage for the foreign leagues, economic conditions in the country, the quality of players, the standard of play in our leagues, the massive player exodus, poor remuneration as well as officiating are a few hints to where we currently are as a football country. 

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When Kurt Okraku took over the reins of the Ghana Football Association as President, he had a few ideas to channel the growth of the league, one big feat was helping to bag sponsorship deals with, betPawa, KGL, Mara, and others.



During the official announcement of the betPawa sponsorship deal, the President confirmed that $1 million dollars was been set aside to help promote the league, it’s saddening that the full effects of how the money was disbursed for promotions and publicity of the league haven’t trickled down to the remotest of clubs like we would have expected.  

This weekend, the two biggest franchises, Hearts, and Kotoko went head-to-head in a transmogrified league game into a President’s Cup but the duel couldn’t draw the huge numbers as anticipated not even the presence of the sitting President, Nana Addo, and the free gate announcement could sway people to the stadium. The numerous empty seats around the stadium were just heartbreaking considering the game we had on our hands. 

I began asking myself a plethora of questions as to why our two famed clubs were not drawing up the numbers like before, simultaneously, there were Liverpool and Manchester United playing, and a visit to some pubs and viewing centres showed that people’s interest has switched. 



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Well, the GFA President seems to have affirmed my thought on the low turnouts at the stadiums. He remarked that “The two teams (Kotoko & Hearts) have a lot to do to bring back the fans. It’s up to Kotoko to ask why their fans aren’t consuming their game and the same as Hearts of Oak. The fans belong to the clubs, not the GFA but we will do our part”.

To an appreciable extent, he has a point, there are a host of questions to be asked as to why it seems as though we have hit a snag. In the height of the Covid-19 era, fans were going to the stadium even though there was a 25% quota, they were itching to see their darling clubs play, was it not recently that, Hearts of Oak won their first league triumph in over a decade under Samuel Boadu similarly, Kotoko last season? Was it not just recently that we had the likes of Fabio Gama, Augustine Okrah, Yaw Annor, Bright Adjei, Afutu Kotey, Lawrence Agyekum, Raddy Ovouka, Frank Mbella, Kwame Poku, Kwame Peprah, David Abagna, Imoro Ibrahim, Afriyie Barnieh, and others were swaying supporters on match days, where are they now? 

If you look at the other side of the coin, it is not all dark and gloom, I have visited match venues like Duns park, Nsenkyire Sports Arena, Akoon park in Tarkwa, Golden city park, Nana Fosu Gyeabour park, Nana Agyemang Badu I park the buzz and excitement on several game days in the league is an electrifying scene to behold.



It is pleasing and refreshing to see them revere their local clubs on such a pedestal not to talk of days when the big guns, Kotoko, and Hearts come to town, the commercial and economic activities on the match days are always on the highest horizon. 

I believe, stakeholders and other vested parties have pivotal roles in helping our ailing league regain its status in the country and beyond. 

The media have a big role to play in helping the league rediscover its feat, the media landscape is a big tool in educating, sensitizing, and creating awareness for the greater good of the game. Hopefully, the media will tinker with its ways how to better promote the league’s growth. 

The clubs as well also have to as part of ways to salvage the league institute measures to help sway the supporters to the venues, it is important they do, over the years they have been complaining about game proceeds and I believe if they rally the supporters back to the stadium, their finances will see positively switch up. 

Also, the player exodus is becoming one too many, I understand they need to sell and balance the books and all but sometimes, they need to hold on to some of the deals, properly groom these guys, and bargain better deals before shipping them out. 

The GFA and the mother club association, GHALCA also have to put their best foot in front to help promote and package the league.

Oh, and before I forget, officiating, yes, officiating, I mean these officials can make an unmake you in 90 minutes. A grueling week of preparations, training, and hard work could be nullified by a single decision by these officials. It’s had to take in sometimes but I expect the highest level of professionalism from them moving forward because the complaints are becoming incessant in the ongoing league. 

This is our own, let us cherish our own and make it better for ourselves.