Former Ghanaian international footballer, Derek Boateng, has urged the Ghana Football Association (GFA) to shift their attention towards grassroots football development and leave Black Stars alone.
Boateng, who earned 47 caps for the national team during his playing career, believes that nurturing young talent at the grassroots level is crucial for the long-term success of Ghanaian football.
In this regard, he has called on the GFA to prioritize investment in local academies and training facilities to create a sustainable pipeline of talented players for the national team. Boateng's comments come amidst growing concerns over the performance of the Black Stars in recent years and the need for a renewed focus on grassroots football to revive Ghana's footballing fortunes.
“For me, it’s about time that the FA focused [on juvenile football] and left Black Stars alone. Let the Black Stars be and focus on grassroots football…,” he said on Joy Sports Link.
“When you go to the U17 and the kid is not doing well, you have a lot to talk to him about. You can advise him and bring him back to the game. You will have words of encouragement for him. Where is the care when it comes to grassroots football?
“There is nothing and they should saying ‘We are bringing colts back and we will make our junior national teams good,”