Bad pitches, poor salaries - Agyemang-Badu on GPL struggles and why players are leaving

Former Black Stars midfielder and U-20 World Cup winner Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu has offered a candid assessment of the challenges facing the Ghana Premier League (GPL), including low player wages, poor pitches, and fixture time scheduling.

The former Udinese midfielder, who is now involved in the management of Aduana Stars and the Local Black Stars, believes Ghanaian players cannot be blamed for seeking better opportunities abroad when the financial rewards in the domestic league remain limited.

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He also called for a major rethink of the GPL's match schedule, arguing that local football is being placed at a disadvantage by competing directly with the English Premier League (EPL) and other major European leagues for viewers.

Agyemang-Badu believes the steady departure of Ghana's best players is largely driven by the financial realities of playing in the GPL.

He argued that players have relatively short careers and must take opportunities that can provide them with better financial security.

"You cannot tell me you are paying a player 1,000 or 2,000 Ghana cedis. And when he gets a team in Egypt paying him 5,000, 3,000 dollars, he shouldn't go?," Agyemang-Badu explained.

"Because of 32 years in this country, they will retire you. And when God is giving you 80 years, that 50 years he's coming to live, what is he going to eat?"

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The former Black Stars midfielder stressed that players need to think about their future because their football careers are relatively short.

"Because what are our best players? They are gone. And boys must eat. Do you understand the word "boys must eat"?

His comments highlight one of the biggest challenges facing the GPL: retaining talented players long enough to build competitive and commercially attractive teams.

According to Agyemang-Badu, the departure of the league's best players also affects the appeal of the competition to supporters.

He argued that clubs often struggle to keep their standout players, making it increasingly difficult to attract fans to stadiums.

"The players that you have, they also have a name; you are selling them. You tell me to come to the stadium to watch who?"

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Agyemang-Badu also identified the condition of pitches as another major problem affecting the quality of football in the domestic league.

"The pitches are not good; you cannot play good football."

The former Ghana international believes improving playing surfaces must therefore be part of any broader attempt to make the GPL more attractive to supporters and players.

Beyond player wages and infrastructure, Agyemang-Badu believes the league's scheduling is another major factor affecting its visibility.

He argued that the GPL cannot realistically compete for viewers when its matches are played at the same time as some of the biggest fixtures in European football.

"Listen, whether you like it or not, you cannot compete with EPL. You cannot compete with Spanish, Spanish La Liga. Maybe two teams, Real Madrid and Barcelona. They are the ones playing at a certain time, and people will watch."

He questioned the decision to schedule Ghana Premier League matches at times when major European fixtures are being broadcast.

"So you put the Premier League in Ghana at 3 PM. Manchester is playing against Manchester United at 3 PM. For Christ's sake, let's be very real. 'Omo mm a. Obiaa nni ho a obeba'. Because they find it more exciting than what you are doing here."

For Agyemang-Badu, the solution is not to compete directly with European football but to identify times when the GPL can have a larger share of viewers' attention.

Agyemang-Badu called for the GFA and broadcasters to consider moving some GPL matches to earlier times, particularly on Saturdays.

"So we need to work with our broadcasters so that if it's Saturday we can play maybe early in the morning if possible. 10 AM, 11 AM, when the EPL is not coming."

He also suggested that floodlights could allow clubs to explore evening fixtures where suitable infrastructure is available.

"We can go under flat light if our pictures have a flat light."

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The proposal is aimed at giving the GPL a clearer window to attract viewers before the major European leagues dominate television schedules.

Agyemang-Badu's comments point to a wider challenge facing Ghanaian football.

Low wages make it difficult for clubs to retain their best players, while poor pitches can affect the quality of matches. At the same time, scheduling GPL fixtures against major European competitions makes it harder for the domestic league to compete for television audiences.

For the GPL to become more competitive and commercially sustainable, improvements in player welfare, infrastructure, broadcasting, and fixture scheduling will all be important.