A former president of the Ghana Football Association (GFA) has tasked the newly elected head of the football body to do whatever it takes to bring crowds back to the game.
Lepowura Jawula advised Kurt Simon Okraku, who emerged winner of the Associations elections last Friday, to work with past managers and heads of football clubs and organisations increase the numbers at the stadiums.
Alhaji Jawula, who was GFA President from 1997 to 2001, said this on JoyNews’ weekend Program, Newsfile, Saturday.
He said Mr. Okraku has to work assiduously to bring Ghana football back on track.
“Let’s be honest, elections have catchphrases,” he commented on Kurt Okraku’s campaigned slogan that he is a game-changer noting that systems can only change for Ghana football to win back its past glory if the new GFA team starts from the grassroots.
“The difference between the Ghana league,” from other international leagues “is the fact that our numbers have diminished on the field of play and all these other ones still have the crowd and it’s the crowds that make football tickle,” he said.
Alhaji Jawula, who is a member of CAF Interclub Competitions and FIFA/CAF Match Commissioner, reminisced the days when Herbert Mensah was the Chairman of Asante Kotoko, Harry Zakkour was the Chairman of Hearts of Oak and himself as Chairman of RTU and “the crowds that we brought to the stadium…”
If Kurt is listening or will listen, he should do whatever it takes to bring some of these people on board who can assist him with advice that can bring the crowd back to the field,” he advised the new GFA President.
The former GFA president believes that new GFA administration has a young crop of people who can cause a change but was quick to advise them to “look at everybody dispassionately and knock off every prejudice.”
Kurt Okraku succeeds Kwesi Nyantakyi as the 24th president of the GFA.
He was elected to the helm of the football governing body by 118 delegates at the GFA Elective Congress in Accra on Friday.
He becomes the 24th President in GFA’s 62-year history and will serve for the next four years.
Kurt was one of six candidates who stood for the GFA presidency and won the election in the third ballot with a total of 93 votes.
He stood unopposed in the third round after his closest rival George Afriyie pulled out of the race.
