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Why Most Promising Ghanaian Football Stars End Up In Bad Contracts.

Ghana is a country with many talented players. Most people in the outside world know Ghana through football, with our sterling performance at the 2006 FIFA world cup in Germany to the record breaking world cup performance at the 2010 world cup in South Africa, one could see that Ghana which was called by some as African Brazil have quality and talented footballers who can play great football at the world stage.

But why does most of the promising stars in the nation end up in bad contracts with their various clubs?

Well, let’s outline two of the reasons why that happens.

One, poor education is one of the reasons why Ghanaian players end up bad contracts. It’s sad to say that most promising Ghanaian stars could not read and write English Language. So they were deceived and coerce into signing bad contracts. Take for example what happened to Nii Odartey Lamptey, Lamptey could not read or write English Language, which lead him into bad contracts. He said in an interview with the Guardian about how he was cheated; “I was cheated so much,” Lamptey Says. At one point in 1997, after being loaned to four clubs, he discovered his registration was owned not by Anderlecht, as he thought, but by his agent, Antonio Caliendo, who also represented Roberto Baggio and Dunga. Some years before, Caliendo had secured Lamptey as a client by flying to Accra and paying him a lump sum to sign on the dotted line. “I didnt know the details of the contract” he says. When Lamptey was even asked to spell the name of his ex – agent he was finding it difficult to. He spelled his name this way, “I think it is C – O – L – E – H – D,”. Lamptey’s lack of education to which he constantly refers, often with some bitterness, is clearly something that eats away at him. it seems Lamptey has learnt a lesson from what happened to him, he said; “it all comes to education, that why i decided to use my money for this school. This school makes me happy.

Another reason why Ghanaian players sign bad contracts is using selfish people as their agents. Since some of the Ghanaian players could not read nor write English Language, selfish agents coerce them into signing contracts without knowing the clauses and terms and conditions of the contract. So in the end they become slaves to their agents. Consider what happened to Nii Odartey Lamptey again. Lamptey said; “I called Anderlecht and said, this is the situation, i want to come back”. The vice – president said, “You don’t belong to us, you belong to Caliendo.” Caliendo was selling me without me knowing it. After Diego died i wanted to come home, and this guy was forcing me to sign a contract with him”. Lamptey continues; “I refused. I was so fortunate otherwise i’d still belong to him up to i dont know when.”

I did not have any big quarrel, i just said, “No, i won’t sign.” He had to send people to come and talk to me, i still refused. Since then i have not had any contact with him.” Shortly before that, Lamptey had averted another rip – off, of his signing on fee for Aston Villa, when the then Villa manager Ron Atkinson intervened. “Ron gave my account number to the office and they paid it in direct. i hadn’t even been told i was due a fee. The manager (agent) was very upset. Big Ron has been a good man in my life. There are other players whose agents have been even worse, one man who tried to destroy me because i would not sign for him. I know players who would gladly kill that one”. Clearly some agents are not out for the best interest of their clients.

These are just some the reasons why Ghanaian players sign bad contracts which have a great great effect on their playing career. The likes of Samuel Inkoom, Prince Tagoe and Sadick Adams are some fews Ghanaian who entered into such bad contracts. Just like Nii Odartey Lamptey said education is the best gift you can give your child. Therefore, no matter how talented you are in the football arena but take your education seriously.

By: Henry Asampana Anyorka

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