I’ll Support Players Who Demand For Their Bonuses Before Tournaments — Charles Taylor

Former Hearts of Oak and Asante Kotoko hero Charles Taylor has entreated national team players to demand bonuses owed to them before any tournament.

For many African countries, national soccer teams provide an escape from enduring political, economic and social problems.

Just before a major soccer tournament, national team players threaten a strike after failing to agree on bonus payments or after demanding the bonuses to be paid beforehand.

The recurring disputes are a microcosm of the corruption and mismanagement that plagues high-level soccer across Africa. Despite being home to large swathes of soccer-mad fans and also some of the world’s best players, football federations (including the continental governing body) across the continent are beset by a lack of transparency forcing players to take extreme measures to get paid or compensated after paying out of their own pockets for flights and other expenses.

According to Taylor, he will throw his support to any national team player(s) who will fight for what they are due before they take part in any tournament during an interview with Adom TV.

“I will support players who demand for their winning bonuses and whatever incentives due them before tournaments on any day.”

“When you get sick [after retirement] that’s where you’ll realize that no one actually cares about you so they have to fight for their due.”

“So I urge all the national team players including the females to always use whatever means possible to take their monies.”

“When you are at your peak, you’ll see all manner of people coming to you, but you retire and see?

Taylor was part of the dreaded Hearts of Oak team that conquered Ghana and Africa in the year 2000, winning the Ghana Premier League, FA Cup, CAF Champions League, and the CAF Super Cup.

Taylor, the 2002 SWAG [Sports Writers Association of Ghana] Sports Personality of the Year also featured for Ghana at the U-20, U-23, and the Black Stars – playing a part in the 2006 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.