The Ghanaian Football Association has confirmed that it has approved a $5,000 bonus package for the national team – popularly known as the Black Stars – ahead of the 2015 African Cup of Nations.
The news is heralded as being important after the odious occurrences that put the national team and the football governing body in bad light at the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil when players boycotted training and caused unrest in camp ahead of crucial games thus forcing the government of Ghana to airlift $3 million to Brazil.
No repeat of 2014 mishaps
Also, in more positive news, Ghana skipper Asamoah Gyan has announced to fans of the national team that events that soiled the country’s reputation will not be repeated at the 2015 African Cup of Nations as he dismissed claims that players were not satisfied with the arrangements that have been made so far by the Ghanaian FA.
“We are happy everything has been resolved. We are not thinking about any money issues now. What we are thinking about is the African Cup of Nations,” Gyan said.
Gyan also confirmed that despite the impression of most of the world that the Black Stars were only on national duty to get paid the Black Stars will prove that “it is not about the money. We are just here to die for the nation because we are Ghanaians.”
Set to roll?
New Ghana boss Avram Grant has already released his 23 man squad for the tournament as the Black Stars hope to win their first African championship since 1982 after previous wins in 1978, 1965 and 1963. Here is a full list of the Black Stars that will represent Ghana in Equatorial Guinea.
Goalkeepers: Razak Braimah (Mirandes, Spain), Fatau Dauda (AshGold) and Ernest Sowah (Don Bosco, DR Congo)
Defenders: Harrison Afful (Esperance, Tunisia), John Boye (Erciyesspor, Turkey), Jonathan Mensah (Evian, France), Awal Mohammed (Maritzburg, South Africa), Baba Rahman (Augsburg, Germany), Gyimah Edwin (Mpumalanga Black Aces, South Africa), Daniel Amartey, (FC Copenhagen, Denmark)
Midfielders: Rabiu Mohammed (Krasnodar, Russia), Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu (Udinese, Italy), Afriyie Acquah (Parma, Italy), Solomon Asante (T.P. Mazembe, DR Congo), Christian Atsu (Everton, England), Mubarak Wakaso (Celtic, Scotland), Andre Ayew (Olympique Marseille, France), Frank Acheampong (Anderlecht, Belgium), David Accam (Chicago Fire, USA)
Strikers: Jordan Ayew (Lorient, France), Mahatma Otoo (Songdal, Norway) Asamoah Gyan (Al Ain, UAE), Kwesi Appiah (Cambridge United, England).
The 2015 edition of the African Cup of Nations kicks off on January 17
