Former Ghana international Kwadwo Asamoah is urging for a paradigm shift in football management, advocating for the active involvement of former players with their wealth of expertise and experience.
Asamoah’s comments follow Ghana’s dismal performance at the ongoing 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), in which the team was eliminated in the group stage, extending a run of early exits in international championships.
The Black Stars’ quest to end a 42-year trophy drought suffered another setback, forcing Asamoah to emphasize the importance of practical knowledge both on and off the field in order to revitalize the sport in Ghana.
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“I think we should give more chances to the footballers to run football. I always say you might have a degree about so many things, but the things the footballer will know on the pitch and outside the pitch because he has been through it and he has learned it. He has that experience,” expressed Asamoah on the Prrrr show of Kwadwo Sheldon Studios.
The former Juventus player underlined that academic qualifications alone may not be enough to address Ghanaian football’s difficulties. The 35-year-old feels that athletes’ practical experience during their playing careers provides them with valuable insights for developing the game.
“So those kinds of things, I am not saying we should put all footballers. Probably their ideas and experiences. Most of the people at the FA haven’t been to Europe to experience how football is; maybe we have people that are good in different ways,” he added.
Having played a key role for the Black Stars from 2008 to 2019, featuring in 18 AFCON matches across four editions, Asamoah now contributes to football development by partnering with his former club Juventus in running a football academy in Ghana.
His advocacy for the inclusion of former players in football management aims to bring a fresh perspective and practical insight to the challenges faced by the sport in the country.
Meanwhile, the Ghana Football Association (GFA) on Tuesday dismissed the coach of the Black Stars Chris Hughton and are actively searching a replacement having unveiled a five-member committee earlier on Thursday spearheaded by the vice president of the association, Mark Addo.
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