Placeholder canvas

Ghana airlifts World Cup cash to end player protest

Date:

Christian Atsu said there was no question of any fallout out from the financial dispute on Thursday’s game which Ghana must win to maintain any chance of qualifying for the second round.

The team ended their protests after President John Dramani Mahama personally assured them that he would send a chartered plane with the promised amount, more than $3 million, Atsu said.

“We love our country and we will play,” said Atsu, who with team-mates boycotted Monday’s training session.

Ghana coach Kwesi Appiah, whose side must beat Portugal and hope either the United States or Germany inflict a heavy defeat on the other so they go through on goal difference, said he was relieved the government had intervened.

“The president has intervened. That is a good thing, the government took matters in hand,” Appiah told a pre-match press conference.

“The money should arrive in a few hours as the plane took off some time ago,” he added.

Because of the bonus row, the team only arrived in Brasilia late on Wednesday and missed training.

Appiah, who has been coach since 2012, explained the bonuses should have been paid before the finals where the Black Stars had been hoping to repeat their 2010 exploit in reaching the quarter-finals.

“Our habit is to pay the players in cash because not all the players have bank accounts in Ghana.

“I am not saying that is the best way to do things but one has to understand in Africa things are done differently to Europe,” said Appiah.

“FIFA pays the federations only when they arrive. The players have to wait to be paid and the country must find the money before they arrive and that is where the problem lies.”However, Appiah said he sympathised with the players. “From the moment one agrees the size of the bonus it is important the players receive it.”

Bonuses also caused a furore in the Cameroon camp with the players delaying their flight to Brazil until cash promises were made.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Share post:

Subscribe

Popular

More like this
Related

Telangana CM, Others Seek More Time To Appear Before Delhi Police In Amit Shah Deepfake Video Case

New Delhi: Legal counsels representing Chief Minister Revanth Reddy...

Over 80 Delhi-NCR Schools Receive Bomb Threats, Home Ministry Calls It Hoax

New Delhi: The security situation in the Delhi National...

In respite For People Amid LS Polls, Prices Of Commercial LPG Cylinders Slashed By Rs 19

New Delhi: Bringing a measure of respite to the...