<<Print>>

Ex Ghana defender Anthony Baffoe says a �proper� welfare officer of international repute is needed for all the national teams. The FIFA/CAF General Co-ordinator made this suggestion when he appeared before the Presidential Commission of Inquiry gathering facts about Ghana�s poor showing at the 2014 World Cup. According to Baffoe, a well-trained easily identifiable personality must be given an elevated task as a welfare officer in the national teams � especially the Black Stars � other than what is currently being practiced. �If I may ask the question, do you know what a welfare officer is,� Baffoe quizzed the commission. �Just like the structure with Germany and Oliver Bierhoff. He doesn�t only distribute letters and money and all those things. �He also does scouting. He tracks the performance of players and do follow ups at their clubs. �For instance if someone like Stephen Appiah picks up the phone and calls AC Milan to ask about Michael Essien, everybody knows him. Or even Marcel Desailly. �We need to make very good use of these ex internationals.� Baffoe who is the General Secretary of the Professional Footballers Association of Ghana (PFAG) also tendered in a well prepared document from his outfit to the commission on how to raise and strengthen player unions in Ghana. He spoke of the need to have a regularized minimum wage, health and pension cover for footballers especially in the local leagues.