Former Asante Kotoko head coach, Mas-Ud Didi Dramani, has questioned the criteria in which youth players are developed before playing for the Black Stars.
After winning the U17 world title on two occasions and the U-20 World Cup in 2009, the Black Stars have struggled to make an impact at major tournaments.
Ghana, after winning the fourth Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) in 1982, has struggled to win a fifth title despite playing in 1992, 2010 and 2015 finals.
“When you look at the way sometimes we pick our U17, do we pick them based on the fact that our projection is that if we pick them when they are 10 years, in 10 years they should have played in our U20 and U23 teams?” Coach Dramani, currently a youth coach with Danish side Nordsjaelland, told YAC Media.
“You should be thinking that in 25 years, they should be able to win something for the country.
“When we are able to think like this, we will be experts in putting people in their right places, because when you think about immediate success, then you are only thinking about today and tomorrow.
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“It means you are only thinking about how to win and qualify for the U17 Afcon and when you begin to think about just qualifying for the Afcon, it means you have relegated players who would have been able to fit in for the 2025 period,” he added.
Ghana beat Spain to win the U17 World Cup in Italy in 1991, becoming the first African nation to win the youth championship.
Four years later, the Black Starlets clinched their second title at Ecuador 1995, this time around accounting for Brazil in the final.
In 2009, Ghana became the first African nation to win the U20 World Cup following a penalty shoot-out victory over Brazil.
At U23 level, the Black Meteors won bronze at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona, Spain.
Ghana has, however, played in three World Cups, in 2006, 2010 and 2014. The Black Stars were crashed out of the Round of 16 at the last edition of the Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt.
Coach Dramani won the Ghana Premier League title with Asante Kotoko in 2012 and 2013.
