Cassava Pitch Controversy: Debibi United President Takes on Gold Stars Coach

Debibi United President and Chief Executive Officer Alexander Ababio has strongly criticised Bibiani Gold Stars head coach Petros Koukouras following the Greek trainer’s controversial comments about the condition of Debibi Presby Park.

Ababio described the coach’s remarks as reckless, unreasonable and unprofessional after Koukouras likened the playing surface to a cassava plantation rather than a football pitch.

Debibi United Players Celebrate Team Unity

The disagreement follows Gold Stars’ 1-0 defeat to Debibi United in their 2026/27 Ghana Premier League Matchday Seven encounter on Sunday, October 18.

Speaking after the match, Koukouras expressed frustration with the state of the playing surface, arguing that its condition made it difficult for his team to play its preferred style of football.

The Gold Stars coach said he did not consider the venue suitable for competitive football, adding that it appeared better suited for cassava cultivation.

His comments sparked a strong reaction from the Debibi United hierarchy, with Ababio questioning the appropriateness of the comparison.

In an interview with Nhyira FM, the Debibi United CEO fired back at the Greek coach, saying:

“If that’s how they grow cassava in his country [Greece], then I don’t know how they feed them.”

Ababio further urged Koukouras to concentrate on his coaching responsibilities rather than making what he considered inappropriate remarks about the club’s home ground.

Bibiani Gold Stars Players During a League Match

“He should think about his job and stop saying nonsense. It was a reckless and unreasonable statement,” he added.

The controversy has once again drawn attention to the condition of football pitches in Ghana, with playing surfaces remaining a major talking point among coaches, players and football supporters.

Despite the criticism, Debibi United will take encouragement from their important victory over the former Ghana Premier League champions.

Maxwell Agyemang scored shortly before half-time to secure all three points for the newly promoted side, ending their three-match winless run and lifting them out of the relegation zone.

Debibi United Squad Preparing for Competition

Ababio has also made it clear that the club’s immediate priority is to maintain its place in the country’s top-flight competition.

“Our target is to remain in the league despite our poor start to the season,” he said.

The exchange between the two football figures adds another chapter to the growing debate over infrastructure and playing conditions in the Ghana Premier League.