Omanghana
Ghana Under-17 head coach Dr. Prosper Narteh Ogum has expressed concern about the shortage of competent and properly qualified coaches working at the grassroots level.
Ogum, who also serves as the Ghana Football Association’s Head of Coach Education, warned that weaknesses in foundational coaching are limiting the development of young footballers across the country.
“We need more competent, quality, qualified coaches at the grassroots. Unfortunately, we don’t have it,” the former Asante Kotoko coach said.
According to him, many young players reach Premier League clubs and national teams with significant technical and tactical deficiencies because they did not receive appropriate instruction during their formative years.
Some grassroots and academy trainers reportedly operate without recognized coaching licenses or sufficient knowledge of modern player-development methods.
Ogum explained that youth coaching requires more than transferring senior-team exercises to younger age groups. Coaches working with children must understand physical and psychological development, fundamental movement skills and age-appropriate tactical instruction.
The university lecturer stressed that the quality of training provided between the Under-13 and Under-17 levels can determine whether promising players successfully progress to elite football.
He therefore called for greater investment in the education and certification of coaches operating in schools, community teams and private academies.
The GFA and regional football associations were encouraged to expand coaching clinics, refresher program and licensing courses, while making certification more affordable and accessible to grassroots trainers.
Subsidized programs could help coaches outside the major cities gain professional qualifications without facing prohibitive financial and travel costs.
Ogum’s concerns also have implications for Ghana’s national youth teams, including the Black Starlets and Black Satellites. Without a reliable network of qualified developmental coaches, national selectors may continue to receive players who require remedial training at stages when they should be prepared for high-level competition.
Strengthening grassroots coaching would help create a more consistent talent pipeline for domestic clubs and the national teams while reducing the pressure to produce immediate results through short-term interventions.
Ogum previously led Asante Kotoko to the Ghana Premier League title and currently combines his work with the Black Starlets with responsibility for improving coaching education in Ghana.
His comments reinforce calls for the country to treat coach development as a central part of rebuilding its football system rather than focusing almost exclusively on senior national teams.
Source: Omanghana
