Former Black Stars captain, Stephen Appiah has urged authorities to pay youth national team coaches to prevent external influences on their team selections.
Addressing the Parliamentary Select Committee for Sports, Culture, and Tourism on Wednesday, September 25, Appiah explained that the absence of proper wages for youth coaches makes them vulnerable to being swayed by agents and player representatives during call-ups.
“Such things happen. People do that at the U17 and I think we have to take these things very serious. You have coaches who go to Pampram for four months, or six months and they don’t take any salaries, only allowance. You have coaches for the Black Stars who are earning so much,” the legendary midfielder said.
“U17 coaches don’t take anything, U20 coaches don’t take anything and U23, so if I’m a youth national team coach and I’m not receiving salary and an agent offers me an envelope to invite his player, I will take it,” he added.
Appiah, who previously served as the Black Stars’ Team Manager, proposed a solution, emphasizing that youth coaches should be paid salaries to ensure they feel compensated for their work.
“I think we have to try and solve these problems and make the coaches feel okay. I am not saying the U117 coaches should take more than the senior national team coaches but in a way, we have to make them feel they are working and have to make something out of it,” continued Appiah.
“I think with your question because some of them feel they are working and do not get anything when people influence them with envelopes they take it,” he added.