Eshun backs call for local coach for stars

Former national star and one time coach of Accra Great Olympics, John Eshun, has added his voice to the Youth and Sports Minister Edward Osei Kwaku's call for a local coach to handle the Black Stars.

Speaking to the GNA Sports, coach Eshun said local coaches are the best materials to handle the technical affairs of the national team since they know the attitude of the Ghanaian players more than their foreign counterparts.

According to Coach Eshun, if resources are used in developing the local coaches by sending them on refresher courses outside the country, they would be able to provide the needed results. "With the appropriate training for the local coaches there is no doubt they would be capable of handling the team and taking it to greater heights".

Coach Eshun said, a critical look at the achievements of Ghana so far indicates that most of the successes achieved in soccer were through the efforts of the local coaches hence the need to give them the opportunity to continue.

Coach Eshun who returned from Benin recently after leading Dragons FC, a local club side, to win their league said he is back for good after completing his one year contract with the side.

On why he would not lead the team to next years Champions League, Eshun said, he signed a one year contract with them and it is over adding that he is not interested in coaching them any more though he led them to win the league title. The coach said, he is back to pick any local team, which might be interested in his services.

Commenting on the standard of the Ghanaian league, Coach Eshun said the current trend of the league is no too good for the development of the game in the country because the gap between Hearts and Kotoko and other clubs is too wide. "Even though these two clubs were dominant in the days of old, their dominance was not as wide as it is today". Coach Eshun stated.

He said the problem has come about as result of the movement of players from other clubs to Hearts and Kotoko at end of every season, to enjoy better salaries and other benefits.

Coach Eshun said the basis of the problem is lack of finance since most of the clubs do not have enough money to manage their teams and the companies too are unwilling to sponsor them due to economic reasons. He however expressed the hope that things would get better in the near future if the appropriate structures are put in place.