Former Minister for Youth and Sports, Nii Lante Vanderpuye, has bemoaned what he perceives as conflict of interest in Ghana’s football administration.
He stated that, the intertwining roles of club owners in football administration, player management, and acting as agents are negatively impacting the development of football in Ghana.
Mr. Vanderpuye argued that, such a situation is uncommon globally and stands as a hindrance to the progress of the sport.
“In Ghana, club owners are involved in football administration, player management, and also act as agents; it is only in Ghana. The conflict is so huge. The truth be told, the conflict of interest in our football is so much,” the former Sports Minister said in an interview on Starr FM.
Mr. Vanderpuye went on to highlight the unusual nature of the situation, asserting that it is uncommon for agents of players to also assume roles as club managers and administrators of the Football Association (FA).
“Where in the world do you see agents of players become the managers of clubs and administrators of the Football Association (FA)? And the same people are managers of players, where, tell me just mention one country. I have not seen some before.”
Mr. Vanderpuye said he thought the football administrators being managers of players was exclusive to Africa but noticed it was not even the case in Nigeria.
“I thought it was an African disease, but I have gone through Africa and it is nowhere, not even in Nigeria. Those who are the managers of Nigeria football are not managers of players. They have relationships with clubs but they are not managers of players, coaches, and other technical people.”
This concern from the former Sports Minister follows Ghana’s recent 2-2 draw with Mozambique, which resulted in the Black Stars failing to secure automatic qualification to the knockout stage of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournament.
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