AC Milan midfielder Michael Essien has blamed Ghanaââ¬â¢s poor showing at the 2014 World Cup on the consistent failure of the state to honour promises to pay appearance fee to the players.
The Black Stars players boycotted training at the height of their demand for the prompt payment of the $100,000 promised each player for making it into the final 23-man squad for the finals staged in Brazil.
Officials from the Ghana FA and the Sports Ministry appeared to have shifted most of the blame on the players over their insistent on the $100,000 amount rather than the initially proposed $82,500 â⬓ which is a 10 percent increment of what was paid the players for the last World Cup in South Africa.
But Michael Essien in giving his evidence before the Presidential Commission on Monday says the root of the playersââ¬â¢ agitation was not the figure itself but the failure of officials to make do on their several promises over when indeed the amount will be paid.
ââ¬ÅThe appearance fee was also not the problem, but the promises and failing to fulfil them was the issue,â⬠he said according to a statement released by the commission who gave the evidence via Skype.
Officials of the Ghana FA and the Sports Ministry â⬓ even with then coach Kwesi Appiah inclusive â⬓ kept assuring the players of various dates for payment of the appearance fees before and during the finals which were never honoured.
The amount was eventually paid on the eve of Ghanaââ¬â¢s final group game against Portugal where by then, the team had boycotted two training sessions and were in no shape to compete in the game they rightfully lost to crash out of the tournament.