FC Samartex general manager Edmund Ackah has questioned whether Desmond Ofei is the right person to manage Ghana’s U-23 side, the Black Meteors, citing concerns about his engagement with the Ghana Premier League and his record of providing opportunities to locally based players.
Ofei was appointed head coach of the Black Meteors after being relieved of his duties as an assistant coach of the Black Stars. His immediate responsibility is to prepare the team for the Olympic Games qualifiers.
But Ackah believes Ofei’s appointment raises doubts about his understanding of the talent available in the domestic league. The FC Samartex general manager said the coach had not shown enough interest in watching Ghana Premier League matches or in giving local players a prominent role.
“I have never seen Desmond Ofei at a Ghana Premier League match, yet he’s being backed to lead the U-23s [Black Meteors]. He showed little faith in local players at the U-20 level [Black Satellites],” Ackah told Asempa FM’s Ultimate Sports Show.
Ackah also criticised what he described as a failure to learn from earlier decisions affecting the development of young Ghanaian footballers.
“Must we keep recycling the same mistakes while our local talents suffer?” he added.
The Black Meteors are regarded as an important route for emerging players hoping to progress to Ghana’s senior national team, the Black Stars. Ackah’s comments therefore highlight his concerns about the impact of the team’s leadership on the development of players from the domestic game.
The Black Meteors are due to play Libya in the second round of the Olympic Games qualifiers. Ghana are attempting to return to the men’s football tournament for the first time since the 2004 Athens Games.
