Is it sheer disrespect? Accommodation, transport and US$45,000 is not capable of blowing the FAs accounts, but same and a paltry US$6,000 for Kwasi Appiah, the assistant to Coach Milovan Rejevac (Coach Milo) is a tall order and audacious.

Is it comedy of errors? What a farce!

Barely a fortnight ago, the Assistant coach of the Black Stars, Kwasi Appiah was apt with his demands. But the demands were considered a nonstarter, lacking sensitivity to the FA.

Many took a swipe at him. Whether by accident or design, he has been vindicated. The Ghana Football Association authorities have condemned his asking price including this: "We can not afford vouchers"

What is good for the goose is equally good for the gander. This was the very Skipper who after qualifying the Black Stars for the Cup of Nations in Senegal 1992 lost his position to Abedi Ayew Pele, under bizarre circumstances.

When you spit in to the air you dirty your own face. This is what the FA has done. What would have been the response of the FA, had Appiah asked for half of Coach Milo´s salary? Would he have been marched to the abettors? Or thrown into the sea with a mill stone around his neck?

Whether he will be maintained or not, Kwasi Appiah, knew best the tempo at the FA, hence decided to use kid gloves to plead. It is demeaning for a former National team Skipper turned coach be treated with such wanton disregard.

Now, the writing is clear on the wall to all football loving Ghanaians why he asked for nothing but a slave wage on his kneels.

Additionally, the current technical handlers of the National Under- 17 team, the Black Starlets have no contract. Isaac Paha and Dan Owusu who coached the Black Queens for two years were without contract either. They woke up to receive their walking papers. Is it not amazing that these local coaches are given such raw deals? It is said, as one lays the bed so, the fellow lays on. Can the local Coaches Association of Ghana be blamed wholly for their inability to put in a better bid?

Who is cheap, a coach with or without a contract? A coach without contract can be fired as hired. But a technical brain hired under contract, stipulating terms and conditions can not be fired on impulse. Any thing that contradicts the content of terms would mean the coach should be settled financially for the period elapsing on the contract.

Then would it be right to say Ghanaian Coaches are cheap?

Brooding over the saga of the Black Stars Assistant coach, gives rise also to the question of how these local coaches acquire the job. For instance Coach Milo has been outdoored, before the media, what happened to Kwasi Appiah?

Again, if he is not qualified for the post why not offer it to another competent countryman. Is a king selected before a palace is built or the other way round? What prevents the FA from stating the benefits of the Head and Assistant Coaches of the Black Stars, so that whoever comes in would be aware of the stakes.

Forthrightly, the Local Coaches Association of Ghana should sit up and put their house in order to halt the indignity they are often subjected to.

Posterity will judge us fairly.


Story by: Patrick Twumasi
Asempa Sports