Is Support For Our Local Leagues On The Verge Of Collapse?

"Without AMBITION one starts nothing. Without WORK one finishes nothing. The prize will NOT be sent to you. You have to WIN it. The man who knows HOW will always have a job. The man who also knows WHY will always be his boss. As to METHODS there may be a million and then some, but principles are few. The man who grasps PRINCIPLES can successfully select his own methods. The man who tries methods, ignoring principles, is sure to have TROUBLE." - Ralph Waldo Emerson, an American essayist, Lecturer, Poet and leader of the mid-19th century Transcendentalist movement.

I think Part of what Ralph Waldo Emerson is saying is that there is a reason behind the seeming madness and success is reserved for those who work towards it, thus the current waning fan interest and support for Ghana soccer from the Colts level through to the Premier level and the rising interest in the EPL, Bundesliga and La Liga etc. may not necessarily be a coincidence but perhaps a series of well-orchestrated events of those aiming to grow and spread their game outside their shores.

As we all know, attendance at the various league centers has dropped sharply and abruptly over the past few years. Additionally, a host of other factors has led to a strong dissipation of interest in the game from the Premier level right down to the Colts level thus forcing many football enthusiasts to conclude that interest in the game and for that matter fan base of Ghana football is in a state of deep crisis or headed in that direction if it is not there yet. Surprisingly, there has been a huge uptick in support of the foreign leagues, a fast growing ‘staple’ for many soccer fans.

Gone are the days when Ghanaian football fans had high interest in the game and were willing to pay whatever the cost was in terms of money and time to watch Premier League games at the stadium. Recently, the President of the Ghana Football Association Kwesi Nyantakyi shockingly and interestingly intimated that the GFA will from now on use all means possible to boost attendance at local league centers including the use of 'sexy ladies'.

Justifying the reason behind such mind-blowing approach, Mr. Nyantakyi in speaking to an Accra-Based FM station said (http://metro.co.uk/2015/09/08/ghanaian-fa-president-plans-to-lure-men-to-local-football-matches-by-filling-stadiums-with-sexy-ladies-5382053/) - “I have said this thing over and over again. We must let sexy ladies enter our stadia and the men will readily follow them into the stadium to watch games. Most of these men when they hear that beautiful girls are coming to the stadium today, they’ll all jump and follow them to the stadium … and they are going there purposely to see the ladies. I remember there was one match, we brought some beautiful girls who were in nice jeans to the stadium and the girls started walking around the stadium and come and see the hysteria it created in the stands. The men in the stands went into a frenzy and when the ladies waved at them, come and see how jubilant they (men) were. And so we must try and think outside the box and use all these tricks to boost attendance at the stadium."

In the wake of this revelation, Some think that the GFA chief-whip is not in for the betterment of football in Ghana as far as bringing up practical ideas that will help develop the sport properly but interestingly some men think it’s not a bad idea to bring in sexy ladies to match venues, because they will be glad to see them in skimpy fitted leggings seated in the stands with them.

The comments by the FA president comes in the wake of calls on Parliament for the ban on live foreign league matches in the country as Communications Director of the Ghana Football Association and Former BBC correspondent Ibrahim Saanie Daara explains, such a ban would shoot up the taste for the local leagues.

Interest in the game and Ghana football will continue to wallow in its current state even if the above statements and ideas are seriously considered and implemented as they do not address the basis of the problem.

In September 2014 when former captain of the senior national team - the Black Stars, Stephen Appiah appeared before the Presidential Commission of Inquiry into Ghana's participation in the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. He called for the re-introduction of Colt’s football in the country as a step towards the development of the game.

According to Appiah, the re-organization of Colts Football must start with training and developmental programmes for coaches as well as development of football pitches across the country. He went on to say that most of the coaches at the youth level were not qualified, adding that, the decline of colt’s football in the country had affected the development of football.

The former captain said there is an abundance of talent in the country hence the need to create a youth league system to offer children the opportunity to exhibit and develop their talents.

Personally, I remember with nostalgia my days as a Colts football player in Tema Community 8 and later on in Nungua, we had to pay our way for away matches and we shared jerseys with each other as we didn't have enough. Just imagine going into the game as a substitute and donning on a sweaty and dirty jersey you just got off the back of the player you are replacing - these 'traumatic jersey exchanges' affected us in diverse ways.

I believe that part of the solution to the problem should include a competent, formidable and dedicated research plus marketing team to promote our local football leagues right from the Colts level to the Premier division, collaboration with the various radio and TV Stations to at worse give the local leagues the same attention they give to the foreign leagues, rich internet content on local football activities especially on the FA's website, the building and development of modern stadiums and playing fields among other things.

With the fan base and interest in the local league at an all-time low and the EPL, Bundesliga and La Liga etc. taking over especially among the youth, it's about time concrete steps are put in place to help reverse the trend.