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Ghana
Youth Soccer
The
golden generation
Mark
Gleeson reports on the latest bunch of Black Stars
World Soccer, Feb 1999, pgs 16-17
This is the start of a new era for Ghana, who are among
Africa's strongest football nations and have a pedigree
to back up that distinction. But while they share with Egypt
the record of the most African Nations Cup victories- four-
the last of them was back in 1982 and Ghana, despite winning
world championships at junior level, have never managed
to qualify for the World Cup finals.
Now
the retirement of Abedi Pele, three-times African Footballer
of the Year, and goal machine Tony Yeboah has opened the
door for a new generation, under the coaching guile of former
Italian international Guiseppe Dossena.
Racial
and tribal tension in the team, with Adebi Pele and Yeboah
as the chief protagonists and leaders of rival camps, has
been a noose around Ghana's neck for the past decade. So
have inconsistent team selection and a constant changing
of coaches.
But
Dossena has come in like a breath of fresh air and revamped
the squad in only three matches.
Already
there have been good results, including a first-ever home
defeat for Cameroon in an African Nations Cup qualifying
match and an away draw against the strong Dutch team in
a friendly.
With
the Nations Cup finals in Zimbabwe less than a year away,
Ghana are positioning themselves to make a serious challenge
for a fifth title.
That
new generation of talent, finally making the breakthrough
from junior level, gives Dossena a strong pool from which
to make his selections. In addition, there is the bonus
of more Ghanaians beginnig to show in the European leagues.
The
new-look Black Stars are led by Charles Akunnor, a winger
based in Germany with Wolfsburg, but are looking to Eric
Addo and Peter Ofori-Quaye to lead them into the next millenium.
Both teenagers have won their first caps and now play in
title-winning teams in Europe. Ofori-Quaye can claim to
be the youngest-ever million-dollar signing, moving to Olympiakos
from Kalamata at 17. Addo cost Club Brugge nothing but has
been a sensation in Belgium, which has a long tradition
of African talent.
There
are others with bright international futures, including
Italian-based Stephen Appiah and Mohamed Gargo, both regular
fixtures at Udinese.
Allied
to all this is a healthy club scene at home, adding to Dossena's
options. Obuasi Goldfields made it to the African Champions
League final in 1997 and Accra's Hearts of Oak went within
one goal of the 1998 final.
From
these teams there are several players knocking on the door
of national selection and posing a threat to the places
held by those playing in Europe.
"I
need to build my team and I cannot guess how long it will
take," says the new coach. "Every coach has his
own style of working. Some need just a few months to nurture
a team, and others take longer." Ghana should have
a relatively smooth ride to the Nations Cup finals in Zimbabwe
and then they can seriously set their sights on the next
World Cup qualifying campaign. They were edged out by Morocco
in their bid for a place in France 98, and had been hampered
by tough draws in some previous qualifying tournaments.
But
it is apparently becoming a question of now or never for
Ghana. "We are going to embark on a gradual process
of building- and if we all aim together at one goal then
surely we will arrive at the promised land," is Dossena's
biblically-inspired prognosis.
links...
Why
does Ghana dominate the world? Come see.
Ghana's
Heart of Gold
Ghana:
talented players as far as the eye can see
Twice U-17 World Champions, twice U-17 runners-up - Ghana
is the top favourite in this category at the FIFA World
Championship which will take place from 10 to 27 November
in New Zealand. Ghana is teeming with talented players who
dream of an illustrious career. Midfielder Abedi Pelé
(35) and central defender Samuel Kuffour (23) have become
top stars - but not only because of their footballing qualities.
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MyJoyOnline
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The
Accra Daily Mail - Sports Section
The
Daily Graphic - Ghana's #1 Online Newspaper
Ghana.com
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2002 - Children and Literacy
Schooling in Ghana is still for the privileged. Primary
school is relatively cheap, although getting uniforms does
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this, there is a very high rate of ten year olds leaving
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Ghana-Youth.com
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