‘Scheme to monitor foreign-based players needed’

The Director of the National Sports College, Mr George D. Dasoberi, last Monday suggested the institution of a mechanism that would ensure effective monitoring of track records of the country's foreign-based soccer players.

This, he explained, would enable the technical directorate of the Ghana Football Association and the head coach of the national team, the Black Stars, collectively determine the exact number of such players required to beef up the local ones during international matches.

Mr Dasoberi was opening a five-day intermediate coaching course for 27 student coaches drawn from the 10 regions by the National Sports College at Winneba.

The Directorate was not happy at the practice where the country regularly invites about 20 foreign-based players for international soccer tournaments only to utilise just 10 players in the long run.

He stressed the need for the Ministry of Youth and Sports to equip the technical directorate of the GFA with adequate facilities to assist it to organise long-term outreach programmes to educate soccer coaches at the grassroots level.

According to Mr Dasoberi, the provision of such working materials supported by enough funds would also enable the technical directorate to run advanced training courses for soccer coaches periodically.

Mr Osam Duodu, Technical Director of GFA, expressed concern at the inability of the Ministry of Youth and Sports to release development funds provided by the Federation of International Football Association and the Confederation of African Football to enhance soccer development in the country.

According to Mr Duodu, funds provided by the two key international soccer bodies to the Ministry of Youth and Sports towards the promotion of football activities in the country have not been released to the wings of the ministry charged with the responsibility of soccer promotion.