Leagues across Africa have in the last few years grabbed Ghana’s top stars, rendering the West African nation’s top flight almost empty of quality. Several top stars have left the Ghana Premier League either at the end of the season or mid-way through in a bid to explore the greener areas of their careers.
Limiting ourselves to just last season, the Ghana Premier League lost top five quality players to leagues in Algeria, Tunisia and Egypt plus others who went elsewhere. Asante Kotoko sold top striker, Kwame Poku to Algeria club, USM Alger when he had scored seven goals in 16 games in the season. Another player who joined the Algerian train was former Hearts of Oak and Dreams FC attacker, Joseph Esso who signed for MC Alger.
Finding worthy replacements has either been difficult or nil and former Liberty Professionals captain, Samuel Sarfo believes such is affecting the Ghana league. The former police corporal revealed in an interview. “Our grassroot football is still the major problem that we have. “The top players go then we don’t get any replacements for them, this is gradually affecting the football. “Before they used to call Ghana a football nation but now even some of the countries that we were looking down upon are up and we are still down.” Samuel Sarfo said on Untold Stories.
The defender who plies his trade in the Saudi Pro League with Al Khaleej, believes Ghana football needs much attention to help it’s revival. “We are coming, Ghana is gradually coming but we still need to pay attention to these little little things so that at least the game can also improve so that we can match up with the Egypts and the Algerians the Côte D’Ivoires, Nigerians and all that. “When we take care of this grassroot football well, that is when we can also get the quality of players to match up with the African giants.” Samuel Sarfo added.
Prior to the above mentioned players leaving Ghana, some notable sales include WAFA striker, Daniel Lomotey moving to Tunisia club, ES Sétif with recent moves being King Faisal’s Kwame Peprah to South Africa side, Orlando Pirates and Elmina Sharks Benjamin Bernard Boateng joining Egypt club, Al Attihad Alexandria. The 2021/22 Ghana Premier League will commence in October with clubs in the market looking for players to sign to augment their squad for the upcoming season. It remains to be seen if the players acquired by these clubs will be worthy replacements for the exited ones.
Content created and supplied by: AdamuMuftawu (via Opera News )
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