Joe Louis was a player of Asante Kotoko
Former Asante Kotoko midfielder Joe Louis has opened up about the harsh realities of the Ghana Premier League (GPL), disclosing the serious financial struggles the players go through despite their fame and years in the GPL.
According to Louis, most GPL players are made to put up a lie in an attempt to escape being labeled failures.
In an interview with Kessben TV, the former Hearts of Oak midfielder revealed how he has been unable to build a house during and after his career.
“Honestly, I haven’t been able to build a house, and I’m not ashamed to admit it. Despite my struggles, I know many Ghanaian footballers are still facing financial difficulties. It’s time for a change. Since the early days of football, only a small percentage of players – about 2% – have been financially stable. This shows that something is wrong,” he lamented.
He further recalled moments where the clubs he played for sometimes refused to pay their wages and match bonuses, revealing how following up on their wages got them tagged as bad nuts within the team.
“Sometimes, we’re not paid for months, and even when the season starts again, we don’t receive our outstanding wages. When we speak out, we’re labeled as disrespectful, but we have families to feed,” he added.
As such, Louis called on the Ghana Football Association (GFA) to ensure that reforms are made within Ghanaian football because the player wages in the GPL are not encouraging.
“Our leaders need to take action to improve the situation. We’re often told that we’ve been paid, but the truth is that the wages are meager and can’t even cover rent or house payments. Even when we buy land, we can’t afford to build on it,” he further added.
Louis had a storied career in the GPL. He played for clubs, including King Faisal, Great Olympics, and Hearts of Oak.
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