Sports
Ex-Hearts’ board chairman explains failure to redeem promise to players … after 2000 CAF Champions League glory
Retired football administrator and former board chairman of Hearts of Oak, Mr Emmanuel Martey Commodore-Mensah, has disclosed that the cancellation of the 2001 FIFA Club World Championship played a key role in the club’s failed promise to the squad that won the 2000 CAF Champions League.
Players of the club’s ’64 battalion’ squad that delivered the trophy in 2000 have been bitter over the failure of the club to honour their $25,000-per-player promise made to them after winning the Champions League in that year.
Mr Commodore-Mensah, who was then a board member of the Rainbow team, said on Asempa FM that the club was very determined in delivering on its promise as it served as motivation for the players to win the Champions League and qualified for the 2001 FIFA Club World Championship in Spain, in the process.
“Yes, we made that promise, knowing that the World Club Championship was going to be the deal breaker financially.”
He explained, however, that later on FIFA announced that its marketing company in charge of the tournament, International Sports and Leisure (ISL), had gone bankrupt – hence cancellation of the Championship that year.
“For the cancellation, FIFA gave us some monies as compensation and not the monies we were expecting from the tournament for which we made that promise to the players, hence we failing to fulfill our promise to the latter.”
According to him, from the compensation money, they gave the technical team and the playing body some monies and used the rest of the money to offset debts accrued from the Champions League campaign.
“Yes, we rewarded the players enough for the history they made for the club that year. Given how much came to the club, we did what was needful. I know, I am prepared to put my hand on my chest and say we gave them something, as to whether it was enough or not, it is a discussion for another day, Mr Commodore-Mensah added.
BY RAYMOND ACKUMEY
Sports
WAFU B U20: Ghana’s Jerry Afriyie crowned MVP in semi-final win over Cote D’voire
Ghana U20 striker Jerry Afriyie was crowned Man of the Match in the side’s come back 2-1 win over Cote D’voire in the WAFU B U20 Semi-final on Sunday October 27, 2024 in Togo.
The talented striker, who is the leading top scorer with four goals, scored a magnificent spot kick to complete the comeback win for the Black Satellites at the Stade Municipal.
The Black Satellites will be making a return to the AFCON Championship next year after winning the title in 2021 under Abdul Karim Zito.
It was an incredible finish to an afternoon that began badly for Ghana as Konan Loukou gave the Ivorians an early lead before the Ghanaians pulled parity from a deflected corner kick to end the first half, before Jerry Afriyie sealed victory from the spot kick.
The win ensured the Black Satellites qualification to the 2025 U20 Africa Cup of Nations.
The WAFU B U20 Championship serves as the qualification for the 2025 Africa U20 Cup of Nations, with only the finalists going through.
This 2025 U20 AFCON will also serve as the African qualifiers for the 2025 FIFA U20 World Cup in Chile, where the four semi-finalists will qualify automatically.
Sports
Ghana to face rivals Nigeria in epic 2024 WAFU B U20 Final
Ghana and Nigeria will face off in the WAFU B U20 Final after the two West African giants dispatched their respective semi-final opponents in Togo on Sunday October 27, 2024.
The Black Satellites produced a sensational comeback 2-1 win over Cote D’voire in the first semi-final at the Stade Municipal before Nigeria also rallied from behind to beat Niger 3-1 in the second semi-final match.
Ghana and Nigeria will renew their long-standing rivalry in Wednesday’s Final at the Stade de Kégué.
Desmond Ofei’s side will be hoping to go one step further by reclaiming the sub-regional title from defending champions Nigeria.
The WAFU B U20 Championship serves as the qualification for the 2025 Africa U20 Cup of Nations, with only Ghana and Nigeria going through.
This 2025 U20 AFCON will also serve as the African qualifiers for the 2025 FIFA U20 World Cup in Chile, where the four semi-finalists will qualify automatically.