Ghana Football Association President, Kwesi Nyantakyi says the 2006 success story of Ghana football would have to be sustained and also ensure that the nation consolidates the gains of the past year.

According to Kwesi Nyantakyi, 2006 brought in its wake several successes and a few shortcomings and says all areas have received considerable attention to ensure that football in the country moves a step higher.

“We re-structured the GFA Secretariat, reviewed staffing appraisal, compensation, job evaluation and training.

“We also reviewed ITC infrastructure of the FA, undertook a review of the situation of the clubs and the legal regulatory framework for the management of the game.

“We reviewed refereeing, coaching, sports administration and medicine. We reviewed our management of the national teams, our policies and strategies for the management of the FA,” he wrote in his first article for 2007 in his column.

But in 2007, lots of improvement would be expected from the national sides, football clubs and from all who connected to the running of the game from the FA right down to the Regional Football Associations.

“2007 shall provide the platform for the association to consolidate on the modest gains achieved so far.

“We shall also reposition ourselves to overcome the few shortcomings that crossed our way to success.”

As events for the year roll out, the FA president says youth development remains the main stake in the development agenda.

“Youth development shall remain the cornerstone of our development agenda. The National School of Soccer Excellence shall be a culmination of the efforts to lay junior structures in the regions.

“Five best players from three age categories each for boys and girls from each region will be selected to form the nucleus of the best players for their age categories.

The FA president says the national youth festival would the highlight of the year’s programme.

“The highlights of the year shall be the national youth festival, which shall be the congregation of regional teams for the above categories.

“We shall first organise inter-district competitions for the U-12, U-15, U-17 for boys and U-13, U-16, and U-19 for girls. We shall then have the inter-regional competitions for the said categories.”


NB: You can read the full text of the President’s write up in his column. Use the link below.

www.ghanafa.org/blogs/president/default.asp