Sports journalist Dan Kwaku Yeboah has criticised what he describes as the growing number of youth national teams being formed by the Ghana Football Association (GFA), questioning the development strategy behind the approach.

Speaking on Sporty FM, he stated that Ghana’s decision to maintain several youth teams across different age categories does not necessarily translate into a coherent player development programme.

“For the first time in my journalism career, I've seen two under-17 teams being formed at the same time,” Dan Kwaku Yeboah said.

He cited the situation where one Under-17 team was being coached by Larry Kinsey at Legon while another group was also in camp.

He further questioned the need for the GFA to operate teams across almost every youth age category.

“For the first time, I've seen a football association forming Under-15, Under-16, Under-17, Under-18, Under-19, Under-20. But what sort of development agenda is this?” he asked.

Dan Kwaku Yeboah argued that the focus should instead be on creating a structured system that develops players and prepares them for the senior national team.

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He also suggested that the proliferation of youth teams could create an environment where clubs and individuals focus more on identifying and selling young talents than developing them for Ghana.

“Ghana alone, 15, 16. That is where the market is. Everybody is going to search for talent and sell,” he said.

The journalist also took aim at colleagues he described as pro-GFA journalists, alleging that some attack critics who question the country's football administration.

“You go and talk about this, you get pro-FA journalists who have been put on one flight to a World Cup tournament or a friendly game to insult you to the core,” he alleged.

He maintained that journalists should be able to scrutinise the football authorities without being subjected to personal attacks.

“They are comfortable with what they are doing, so we should also be comfortable with it,” he added.

PAH/JKB

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