Ghana football legend Mohammed Polo believes the country’s recent struggles are being caused by technical shortcomings rather than problems within the administration of the game.
Polo, the 1982 AFCON winner, acknowledged the work of the Ghana Football Association (GFA) but said the results being produced showed that a crucial element was still absent.
“What is missing is technical,” Polo said, identifying coaching development and technical education as areas requiring greater attention if Ghana is to improve its football fortunes.
The former Hearts of Oak star argued that Ghana must do more to protect and pass on its traditional football identity. He believes that process should begin with better coaching, allowing younger players to understand and develop the qualities that have long been associated with Ghanaian football.
For Polo, the issue is not simply about administration or the organisation of the sport. He sees the development of players and coaches as central to addressing the country’s difficulties, with technical education needed at every stage of the game.
He also called for experienced former players to play a greater role in coaching development and grassroots football. Their involvement, he believes, could help guide younger players and provide the technical foundations needed to produce a new generation of gifted footballers.
Polo’s view is that former professionals have valuable knowledge of Ghana’s football traditions and can help ensure that those qualities are not lost. By bringing that experience into the development system, he believes Ghana can improve the standard of coaching and strengthen the pathway for aspiring players.
The former Hearts of Oak player sees grassroots football as particularly important to that objective. It is at that level, he believes, that technical ability must be nurtured and Ghana’s football identity reinforced before players progress further.
His comments come as Ghana continues to search for the level of performance and results expected of a country with a strong football tradition. Polo believes that restoring Ghana’s position among Africa’s football elite will require more than administrative work and instead depend on long-term investment in the technical side of the sport.
That investment, in his view, must include coaches, young players and grassroots structures. He maintained that involving former players in those areas would give Ghana a better chance of producing technically gifted footballers capable of helping the country regain its standing.
While recognising the efforts already made by the GFA, Polo said the lack of results underlined the need to address what he considers the missing part of Ghana football. For the 1982 AFCON winner, improving technical development and preserving the country’s distinctive style remain the priorities.
