Money, boycott threats once again look to be dominating the conversations at the Black Stars camp ahead of Ghana’s international friendlies against Japan and Iceland.
Coach Kwasi Appiah and his men are in Yokohama getting ready of their May 30 clash in the 2018 Kirin Challenge Cup against World Cup-bound Japan. They are scheduled to follow it up with another trip down to Europe against Iceland on June 7.
But the playing body is unhappy with the slash of their appearance fee from the usual $5,000 per friendly game to $2,000.
Less than 24 hours to setting off to Japan, Protocol officer of the Ghana Football Association, Alex Asante initially relayed the news of the development to the set of about 10 players who began preparations in Accra. The players were told the appearance fee they expected had to be slashed because the money being received from the two games was below the costs to be incurred.
And that saw midfielders Mubarak Wakaso and Afriyie Acquah pulling out of the trip but the latter made a U-turn on Monday and is on his way to join camp for the two games.
With a near-full house currently in camp in Yokohama, Black Stars players have reportedly held close to six meetings over the slash in their appearance fee and finally informed head coach Kwasi Appiah of their intentions to honour the Japan game but reject the $2,000 bonus and will follow up with a boycott of the June 7 Iceland match, a report by Kumasi-based Oyerepa FM claims.
Black Stars players are said to feel taken by surprise first with the late information on the slash of the appearance fee for and as well, knowing they were risking possible wrath of their clubs in case of any negative eventualities after honouring such a match not on the Fifa calendar.
The Oyerepa FM report claims the players want some upward adjustment of the $2,000 and are hoping team Management Committee Chairman Wilfred Osei Palmer who is expected to arrive Japan from Accra brings them “good news.”
The Black Stars are set to play the Samurai Blue in the 2018 Kirin Challenge Cup at the Nissan Stadium on Wednesday. Kickoff is at 10:30 GMT.
Ghana squad:
Goalkeepers:
Richard OFORI (Maritzburg United/South Africa), Lawrence ATI-ZIGI (Sochaux/France)
Defenders:
Andrew Kyere YIADOM (Reading/England), Rashid SUMAILA (Al-Gharafa/Qatar), Joseph LARWEH Attamah (Istanbul Basaksehir FK/Turkey), Kwasi OKYERE (FC Bayern Munich/Germany), Lumor AGBENYENU (Sporting/Portugal), Nicholas OPOKU (Club Africain/Tunisia)
Midfielders:
Albert ADOMAH (Aston Villa/England), Thomas PARTEY (Atletico Madrid/Spain), Isaac SACKEY (Alanyaspor/Turkey), Emmanuel BOATENG (Levante/Spain)
Forwards:
Edwin GYASI (CSKA Sofia/Bulgaria), Frank ACHEAMPONG (Tianjin TEDA/China PR), Raphael DWAMENA (FC Zürich/Switzerland), Nana Opoku AMPOMAH (Waasland-Beveren/Belgium)
Scheduled to arrive on 5/29
DF Kasim Adams NUHU (BSC Young Boys/Switzerland)
MF Afriyie ACQUAH (Torino/Italy)
