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CK Akonnor

In reaction to the current payment issue involving former Black Stars head coach CK Akonnor, the Ministry of Youth and Sports (MOYS) has taken action.

The coach had denied charges made by Sports Minister Mustapha Ussif that he had received a $100,000 payment following his dismissal from his coaching role.

In an interview with Graphic Sports on Monday, Akonnor explained that, while he did get a payment, it was not the $100,000 indicated by the minister during a news conference last week.

Seeking to address the issue, the MOYS released a statement acknowledging the media reports and seeking to provide clarity on the payments made to Charles Kwablan Akonnor after the termination of his contract.

“The attention of the Ministry of Youth and Sports has been drawn to publications in the media regarding an amount of money owed the former coach of the Black Stars, Charles Kwablan Akonnor, following the termination of his contract,” the statement read.

The ministry went on to detail the payments they have made to the former Ghana captain.

Read the full statement below:

CK Akonnor
CK Akonnor
Mustapha Ussif

Mustapha Ussif, Minister of Youth and Sports, declares that Ghanaian football fans have not lost interest in the Ghana Premier League.

Speaking at a Joy Sports thought leadership event, Ussif underlined that recent season attendance declines do not represent a loss in the nation’s affection for the sport.

Ussif emphasized that the zeal and passion for football among Ghanaians is as strong as ever, citing large crowds at matches between Hearts of Oak and Great Olympics just two years ago.

“I refuse to believe that Ghanaians have suddenly lost interest in football. No, the passion is still alive and vibrant. We must, therefore, delve deeper into the underlying factors responsible for this decline and take decisive actions to revive our beloved league,” declared Ussif.

“Two years ago, the fierce rivalry between Hearts of Oak and Great Olympics drew an overwhelming crowd. Yet, we find ourselves grappling with a disheartening decline in attendance at recent fixtures.”

Andre Onana

ANDRE ONANA MISSED IT when Harry Maguire’s erroneous clearing nearly cost Manchester United another goal in their 3-2 loss to Borussia Dortmund on Sunday.

Not shortly after entering the pitch in the second half, the £47 million goalie yelled at the center-half.

Individual errors cost Erik ten Hag’s team twice in the opening 45 minutes, allowing Dortmund to take a 2-1 halftime lead thanks to two fast goals from Donyell Malen.

First, Brandon Williams’ diving challenge allowed Karim Adeyemi to easily go past the English fullback and subsequently assist on Malen’s equalizer.

Soon after, Victor Lindelof threw the ball away just outside the box, and the ex-Arsenal prodigy beat Tom Heaton twice in two minutes.

Before taking Heaton’s place, Onana observed both blunders from the bench.

And he appeared to have little patience for missteps when he came on, as seen by Maguire’s erroneous pass, which allowed Dortmund to rip the ball away from Christian Eriksen and initiate a counterattack.

Julian Brandt quickly found Sebastien Haller in the box before Onana made a superb stop on the German striker’s attempt.

The ball slipped between Adeyemi’s legs, but the 21-year-old winger shot wide.

Onana, on the other hand, was not relieved and quickly approached Maguire, yelling and gesticulating aggressively to chastise the Englishman for the reckless move.

And United fans took note of the interaction on social media.

One wrote: “Onana just arrived and he can’t take Harry Maguire anymore.”

Another tweeted: “Onana screaming at Harry Maguire… I’m not even gonna lie, this was epic!”

A third added: “Onana is not happy with Maguire there.”

And one said: “The way Onana charged at Maguire was so funny. Even Maguire was shocked.”

Tariq Lamptey

Tariq Lamptey, the Black Stars’ defender, has responded to his comeback from injury.

The 22-year-old Tariq Lamptey suffered an injury against Newcastle United in the Premier League Summer Series in the United States on Friday. Brighton finished their season with a 2-1 loss against the Magpies.

The right-back made his first appearance since March in this game. Lamptey has been out with an injury since suffering it against West Ham United.

The injury kept Lamptey out of Ghana’s game against Madagascar in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers in June.

After making a return to the field, Lamptey took to social media, the elated defender expressed his gratitude, saying, “Thank God always! Enjoyed being back out there, now time to push on.”

Lamptey’s return is a huge boost for Brighton and Hove, especially with their impending demanding season after qualifying for Europe.

He has been linked with a move to Sporting Lisbon in Portugal, but it appears Lamptey will be part of Robert De Zerbi’s core team.

Lamptey’s comeback is also excellent news for the Black Stars ahead of their September AFCON qualifier against the Central African Republic.

Malik Jabir, a former Ghanaian trainer, has disclosed that he received no compensation for his efforts with Ghana’s Black Meteors (U23).

During his coaching career, the seasoned football coach had several problems and received unjust treatment from the Ghana Football Association (GFA).

Malik Jabir was the head coach of Ghana’s U23 squad from 2003 to 2005 before joining Asante Kotoko as a coach in 2005.

“I was never paid in the national team, never!” Jabir remarked in an interview with Dan Kwaku Yeboah. “Because you knew Malik on the national team, ask them who paid Malik even a month’s salary,” he stated.

From Ben, CK, and co, I was the next and was with them from atomic energy when we moved to Winneba. We were there and Ben left for Zimbabwe, leaving me and CK.

“I was the acting CEO and they brought in Addy and Jones. I saw a sheet with the names of Addy and Jones while I did all the jobs”, he added.

Dutch coach

Rene Haddink, the Dutch coach, is scheduled to arrive in Ghana on Saturday, July 29th, ahead of his appointment as technical director of Hearts of Oak.

According to Happy FM, the 68-year-old will arrive in the country alongside two additional instructors whose names are now unknown.

Rene Haddink will take over as head coach after previous assistant coach David Ocloo left and allegedly joined Asante Kotoko.

Following the resignation of Coach Slavko Matic, who was urged to remain away from the squad, Ocloo has been functioning as an interim manager for the club.

The appointment of the Dutch coach is highly anticipated, and he is expected to bring tremendous experience and knowledge to the team. Haddink will be assisted in his backroom by former Ghana international Laryea Kingston and Don Bortey.

While the specifics of Rene Haddink’s contract have yet to be revealed, his presence is believed to be critical in the club’s rebuilding effort, not only in terms of team performance but also in restoring Hearts of Oak’s reputation in Ghanaian football.

The Phobians finished 12th on the league log in the just concluded Ghana Premier League season.

Ronaldo

Odion Ighalo, a former Manchester United striker, offered his thoughts on Cristiano Ronaldo’s choice to join the Saudi Pro League.

The Nigerian footballer, who previously led the scoring charts in the Saudi Premier League, believes Ronaldo’s decision to transfer to the Gulf State was mostly motivated by financial considerations.

Despite Ronaldo’s statements in multiple interviews about elevating the Saudi league to the level of big European championships, Ighalo provides a different perspective.

Drawing on his own successful two-year tenure with Al-Hilal, Ighalo freely admits that his decision to the Middle East was motivated by financial concerns.

“When you are young, yes, you play for passion. Back then, you don’t care about money. But at my age, I am in the final stretch of my career. I don’t know if it will be one or two years or when God will tell it to stop,” he told OmaSportsTV as quoted by GOAL.

“I know it won’t be more than three years. I’ve played for passion all my life. Now it’s for money. I’m not one of those players who come and say: ‘I play for passion’. Brother, it’s money. At the end of the day, it’s money.

“Is Ronaldo still playing out of passion? Ronaldo has earned 100 times more than I have in my entire life, yet he went to Saudi Arabia. Did he do that out of passion? It’s for money, bro.”

Al Ittihad

Karim Benzema scored his first goal for Al-Ittihad in the Arab Club Champions Cup on Thursday, July 27, against Esperance.

Benzema, who joined the Saudi Pro League winners from Real Madrid, had an immediate impression, combining with Moroccan striker Hamdallah to lead the attack for Nuno Espirito Santo’s club.

Benzema’s Al Ittihad debut and impact

During the game, Tunisian team Esperance seized the lead with a goal from Oussema Bouguerra in the 26th minute, causing Benzema’s debut to get off to a difficult start.

However, only nine minutes later, Hamdallah finished off an assist from the former Real Madrid star, tying the game at halftime.

The Frenchman’s real skill shone through in the second half, when he wonderfully curled the ball into the net, firmly declaring his presence, according to Football Espana.

His goal capped off an incredible comeback for Al-Ittihad, highlighting Benzema’s great skill on the pitch.

Real Madrid

Real Madrid defeated Manchester United in a pre-season friendly in the United States, giving Casemiro and Raphael Varane the opportunity to meet with old teammates.

The France international defender joined Manchester in the summer of 2021, while the Brazilian midfielder came last summer, and both have helped Old Trafford end its trophy drought.

English midfielder Jude Bellingham opened the scoring for the Spanish giants in the sixth minute with a chip over debutant United goalkeeper Andre Onana, while striker Joselu scored an incredible bicycle kick in the 89th minute.

One of the game’s high points was a brawl between Bellingham and Lisandro Martinez after the Argentine made a terrible tackle on the Real Madrid midfielder, similar to the one he floated out to Bukayo Saka against Arsenal.

Casemiro reunite with former mates

Casemiro was on the pitch for 62 minutes and was one of United’s best legs against his former team before making way for young defender Brandon Williams.

As captured in a video shared on Twitter by Madridismo Siempre, he shared a moment with his former midfield partners, Luka Modric and Toni Krooss, after the game, with boss Carlo Ancelotti joining the trio.

The trio is widely considered as one of the finest midfield groups in history, having helped Los Blancos win five UEFA Champions League titles, including three consecutive from 2016 to 2018.

According to Sky Sports, the Brazilian completed a £70 million move to the Premier League last summer, while the veterans just extended their contracts for another season until the summer of 2024, which may be their final.

FIFA

Ghana’s Sports Minister, Mustapha Ussif, has stated that the country has received its portion of FIFA money for the 2022 World Cup.

FIFA declared a total prize money pool of $1 billion prior to the event in Qatar, indicating a considerable 29% increase over previous editions. Based on their success in the World Cup, the 32 participating teams received $440 million of this total.

Following Ghana’s early elimination from the tournament, a total of $10.5 million was granted to them, exceeding their initial expectations. The allotment featured a $2.5 million participation fee and a $8 million prize pool.

“The GFA has written to the Ministry that FIFA has transferred the prize money of the 2022 World Cup to the FA,” Minister Ussif confirmed at a press conference on Wednesday in Accra.

While discussing the plans for utilizing the cash, the minister stated that the country’s sports infrastructure is also being improved. He stated that the Ghana Football Association (GFA) has showed interest in improving Prampram’s infrastructure.

Ghana’s debut in the 2022 World Cup was their fourth in the renowned competition. Although the squad had obstacles and was eliminated after the group stage, the allocation of FIFA financing is considered as a boost for future sports development in the country.