Ghana premier league side Tema Youth football club head coach Edward Odoom has threatened to quit coaching in the top flight after the current campaign, citing poor officiating as a reason.
Odoom whose side is currently battling relegation in the current campaign believes that his side would have finished the campaign at a respectable position if refereeing in the league had been fair to all the participating clubs.
In an interview with Kumasi based FOX FM ahead of the premier league week 29 match against Bechem United on Sunday, Odoom alleged that clubs in the premier league are playing matches of convenience, with referees being influenced by club officials, making it “unworthy to coach in the Ghanaian domestic league”.
”Poor officiating and match of convenience being played by clubs is making it unworthy to coach in Ghana. When we played against Ashanti Gold SC in Obuasi (week 28) we were highly cheated by the referee which is very shameful, making coaching uncomfortable in Ghana football”. Odoom alleged.
When asked of what the future holds for him in his managerial career, coach Edward Odoom emphatically stated his intention to quit coaching in the top flight, including the lower divisions of the national leagues where teams play for the three points at stake. Odoom, who is noted for player development from the youth level, said he is set to quit coaching in the league for academy side, where player development is the sole objective rather than accumulating points.
”In fact I regret entering coaching though it is my passion, he continued, after the current campaign I will never coach in the premier league nor the lower divisions again, I will revert to academy side where there is nothing like three points to fight for rather, player development, I will never coach a team that plays for three points where club officials need the points than developing players, and do that by influencing referees to make coaching worthless, never”.
Tema Youth currently sits 14th in the 16-team league log, having managed 34 points out of 28 matches with just two matches to end the current campaign.
By: Stephen Tetteh
