Former Ghana captain Stephen Appiah has called on the government and the Ghana Football Association (GFA) to urgently address the issue of unpaid salaries for youth national team coaches.
Appiah expressed concerns that the lack of regular compensation makes these coaches vulnerable to accepting bribes from player agents seeking to influence player selections. Unlike the Black Stars coaches, youth national team coaches have historically only received allowances rather than monthly salaries.
Speaking before the Parliamentary Select Committee, which is investigating a petition from the Save Ghana Football Demonstrators, Appiah highlighted the importance of ensuring the coaches are fairly compensated for their work.
“I think we have to try to solve the problems to make the coaches feel okay,” Appiah said. “I’m not saying that junior national team coaches should be better off than the senior national team coaches, but we must make them feel that their work is valued.”
Appiah emphasized that resolving the salary issue would not only help coaches feel secure in their roles but also ensure that they remain focused on developing young talent without external influences.