Sports
Ghana’s U20 AFCON exit: ‘We need a real plan for youth football’ – Eric Alagidede
Former Nsoatreman FC General Manager, Eric Alagidede, has urged a comprehensive reform of Ghana’s youth football system, arguing that the primary focus should be on player development rather than solely on winning tournaments.
His remarks come after the Black Satellites missed out on qualification for the 2025 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Chile, following their quarterfinal loss to Egypt at the U-20 Africa Cup of Nations. This defeat extended Ghana’s absence from the global tournament to a decade.
In an interview with Channel One Sports, Alagidede expressed frustration with the lack of a structured approach to youth football in the country, criticizing the tendency to repeat the same mistakes without addressing underlying issues.
“We keep repeating the same mistakes. When something works once, we rush to repeat it without addressing the core issues. There’s no real plan for youth football. I haven’t seen a proper, long-term strategy to develop and transition players through the ranks,” Alagidede said.
He further emphasized the need for a clear, long-term strategy to ensure the continuous progression of players from youth levels to the senior national team.
“If we want to build a strong national team in the next 10 years, we need a deliberate youth policy.
“That means starting at U-15, making sure at least five or six of those players move together into U-17, then into U-20. That’s how you create chemistry and identity,” he added.
Source:Fiilasports/ghanasoccernet
