{
  "id": 17295518,
  "title": "Debibi United President fires back at GoldStars coach over cassava pitch comment",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/30/debibi-united-president-fires-back-at-goldstars-coach-over-cassava",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-30T22:01:06.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "MyJoyOnline Ghana",
    "slug": "myjoyonline-ghana",
    "url": "https://www.myjoyonline.com/debibi-united-president-fires-back-at-goldstars-coach-over-cassava-pitch-comment/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Debibi United CEO, Alexander Ababio, has responded to the comments made by GoldStars coach, Petros Koukouras, regarding the state of the Debibi Presby Park playing pitch. The Greek coach had described the surface as more suitable for cassava farming than football following Debibi United's 1-0 loss to Debibi United in the 2026/27 Ghana Premier League. Ababio expressed his disagreement with Perto's statement, questioning his reasoning behind comparing the situation to cassava cultivation in his country. \"If that’s how they grow cassava in his country [Greek], then I don’t know how they feed them,\" Ababio remarked. The CEO further urged the coach to focus on his professional duties rather than making inappropriate remarks. \"He should think about his job and stop saying nonsense. It was a reckless and unreasonable statement,\" he added. This response comes amid ongoing debates about the condition of playing surfaces in Ghanaian football. Perto is among several foreign coaches who have criticized the state of pitches in the country. Debibi United currently stands as one of the bottom three teams in the league after eight matches, accumulating only 7 points. The club will face Hearts of Oak at the Debibi Presby Park on Sunday, with Ababio stating that the team's priority is to remain in the league despite their difficult start to the season.",
  "summary": "Debibi United Chief Executive Officer, Alexander Ababio, has hit back at the coach of Bibiani Gold Stars Petros Koukouras over his comments about the club's playing pitch, describing the remarks as reckless and unreasonable.",
  "key_points": [
    "GoldStars coach Petros Koukouras called Debibi Presby Park pitch unsuitable for football.",
    "Debibi United CEO Alexander Ababio disagreed with Koukouras' comparison to cassava farming.",
    "Ababio urged Koukouras to focus on professional duties, not make reckless statements."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}