Ghana needs a long-term plan to rebuild football; not appointing coaches - NSA boss

Ghana's National Sports Authority (NSA) chief Prof. Emmanuel Osei Sarpong has emphasized the need for a comprehensive long-term strategy to improve the country's sporting performance, specifically in football. The NSA boss criticized the appointment of high-profile coaches as an insufficient solution, highlighting the importance of adequate infrastructure, sustained investment in athlete development, and improved coordination among key institutions.

The Black Stars, Ghana's men's national football team, have struggled in recent months, failing to qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) and suffering a poor start to their qualifying campaign, resulting in them sitting at the bottom of their group. This has led to calls for changes in the Ghana Football Association (GFA) and a debate over the nation's football development system.

With four games remaining, the GFA and the Ministry of Sports and Recreation have appointed a five-member committee to recommend a new head coach. The committee has recommended an interim technical team to lead the Black Stars in their upcoming matches against Somalia. Prof. Osei Sarpong also emphasized the necessity of identifying and nurturing young talent through a structured six-year program, beginning at age 12, to prepare athletes for elite competition by age 18.

He questioned Ghana's reliance on foreign expertise, particularly in football, and argued that resources spent on recruiting foreign professionals could be better invested in training local coaches and sports specialists. He highlighted the absence of qualified fitness trainers, strength and conditioning coaches, and other specialists within Ghana, suggesting that the money spent on foreign professionals could be used to develop such professionals domestically.