The Life Of A Local Based Player Part 1 - Great Olympics’ Abel Manomey Writes

A football player who features in any of the 16 clubs that plays in the Ghana premier league is termed as a local player in Ghana.

Most of these guys leave their comfort zones with a dream, to bring joy and glory to themselves, family and community as a whole.

They wake up at odd times of the day, before other colleagues, run miles climbing hills and valleys using their own description to measure their own training rudiments, not even knowing they are overtraining which can sometimes affect their performance during the season.

As they are soaked with sweat, some pray and hope their prayers will be answered

for them to sign that contract to change their destiny. Others sneak back to their beds without not noticed before the normal training time later in the morning.

Players have to, unfortunately, have to share the small peanut as salaries with a coach who is corrupt and think players have to pay because of favouritism and what they term as competition in the team which in their minds knows it doesn’t exist.

At the long run, management prepares the selection of these coaches ignoring the player

who is giving his heart out throughout the week training. Those with children and wives back at home must always beg for time and keep assuring them that things will be fine, pushing big responsibility to their own siblings and parents to play their roles as fathers.

Godfathers who are spiritualists also take their share of these salaries that comes ones in four months with a belief that they are protecting these players as they play weekly in their games. It is not surprising players smear all kinds of oils and water of different

forms, to their jerseys, boots and their bodies with a belief that, these will work the magic for them in the matches.

It is not surprising that these local based players will do anything from rituals, paying off their tithes, spilling blood, wearing special chains and rings on their fingers, legs and waist for protection and success to their playing careers.

Who will u blame for all these mirages they have built in their minds? If players are giving their signing on fees on time as they have signed as a contract, monthly salaries are enough to feed themselves, family, and help the community; the locally based player will play bringing the best of himself.

Do u want us to stay and play in the Ghana Premier league when u give us small money as signing off fees and salary…? I don’t think so…. I am Abel Manomey and local players deserve better.