GFA General Secretary, Prosper Harrison Addo hits back at Sowah-Odotei over ‘Ghana League is dead’ comments

The recent remarks made by Vincent Sowah-Odotei, a board member of Hearts of Oak, that the betPawa Premier League is a dead product has prompted a response from the General Secretary of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), Prosper Harrison Addo. Both Hearts of Oak and Asante Kotoko have had low attendance in their recent games, leading to discussions in Ghanaian football circles.

Sowah-Odotei had emphasized that the league must be entertaining, and it is the responsibility of the regulator of the game to ensure that the game is competitive. He further explained that low attendance has been a concern for the past 15 years and that the situation could negatively impact the game if not addressed.

In response, Harrison Addo argued that the health of football in a country is not determined solely by attendance at a match or low patronage of games. He noted that FIFA looks at several factors when evaluating the health of football, including referee training, coach education, youth development, and the number of national teams available and their games.

Harrison Addo acknowledged complaints about pitches but explained that games are played wherever there is a team, and they cannot be limited to selected venues. He also pointed out that Ghana is not at the level of the English Premier League but is gradually training its players to reach that level.

The GFA is currently in consultation with other stakeholders to improve the situation and ensure that low attendance becomes a thing of the past.