Former Ashanti Gold SC Coach Basir Hayford has expressed disenchantment about the manner in which the nation’s football governing body [GFA] has allowed abundant talents in the country to go waste.
He bewails the football federation’s inability to develop talents in Ghana is the reason behind some prospects ‘unflourished’ football career having excelled at the youth level both continentally and globally.
The former Asante Kotoko trainer speaking on Kumasi based Abusua FM argued that though the Ghana U17 team [Black Starlets] are shining at the African Youth Championship in Gabon, their talents would be wasteful apparently after the FIFA U17 world Cup in India if the FA do not ‘design’ a developmental plan to ensure they achieve a higher feat in their football career going forward.
The former Ghana female U20 team was responding to a question asked him on what must be done for the current Ghana U17 captained by Eric Ayiah to become a force to reckon with globally after their participation in the 2017 AFCON in Gabon.
The Starlets who have already booked qualification to the 2017 FIFA U17 world Cup in India will face Niger Tuesday at the semifinal stage of the tournament.
Paa Kwesi Fabian’s side reached the last four after recording emphatic 4-0 and 5-0 win over Cameroon and Gabon respectively in their first group stage two games before drawing goalless with Guinea in their final match last Saturday.
Coach Bash as affectionately known in the football called reckons if the FA had taken the development of the country’s various youth teams serious, selecting players for the senior teams would never be a headache for the technical handlers.
‘’I believe that we have a philosophy and a developmental plan which will enable us nurture the numerous talents we have in this country because if the talent is there without its development then it becomes useless’’ He said.
‘’If you have a talent and it is not properly developed then you will die in the talent.’’
‘’If you take a critical look at the days when we had Colts teams in the system we were able to groom abundant talents who eventually became the face of Ghana football but same can’t be said today simply because we’ve abandoned youth development in the country’’.
‘’FIFA in it on wisdom brought up an initiate to develop talents and that is why they give money to its affiliates to help achieve its dream of grooming the youths to become the face of future football. ‘’
‘’I ideally FIFA wants youth development to start from the U15 level – U17 and progress to U20 level and U23 level because by that time maturity has arrived therefore your national team will be strong since you now have the right players available for selections.’’
The veteran trainer however admonished the Ghana Football Association not no neglect the Current Ghana U17 team [Black Starlets] after competing in the 2017 FIFA U17 world Cup unlike they did to the Coach Didi Dramani’s U20 side that failed to qualify for the 2017 African Youth Championship in Zambia.
‘’It’s sad that these players have been neglected by the federation, though they failed to reach the finals of the AFCON they were exceptionally good players in the team who could have been promoted to the Olympic team and the Black Stars team proper but sadly these players have been ignored’’ Added Bashir Hayford.
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