Every country has its production line as far football talent is concerned and Ghana is no exception in this area.
Ghana’s production line past decades has what is termed “colts” football whic is commonly known as juvenile football.
Hundreds of Ghanaian talents came through that system leading them straight into the junior to the senior national team.
One cannot mention colts football without talking about two recent captains of Ghana Black Stars and that is Stephen Appiah and Asamoah Gyan.
The two are products colts clubs, Mighty victory and Cedabs of MAMPROBI, a suburb of Accra respectively.
Former Chelsea midfield enforcer, Michael Essien came through the Mighty Victory through to Liberty Professionals.
Ghana’s 2009 AFRICA and FIFA U-20 World Cup winning team had a greater percentage of the players passing through the colts system.
That squad went ahead to produce nine automatic players for the senior national team, the Black Stars.
One can name, goalkeeper Daniel Agyei, Agyemang Badu, Opoku Agyemang, Daniel Opare, Dominic Adiyiah, Rabiu Mohammed, David Addy, Ransford Osei and á host of others playing for the Black Stars of Ghana.
Some players among these guys played for a decade and over with other falling along the line.
Most of these guys equally played regularly for their clubs in Europe and elsewhere.
This goes to state the fact that colts football is the antidote to the collapse of Ghana football.
Recently the Ghana U-20 won the AFRICA YOUTH tournament in Mauritania with almost all the players rising from colts football.
Ghana can now talk about the emergence of defender, Frank Assinki, Danlad Ibrahim and Abdul Fatawu Issahaku.
This goes to state the fact that colts football is the main production line for Ghana.
That system was neglected a few years back and that some way somehow led Ghana suffering at major tournament.
The nation has struggled to win the AFCON for 39 years and counting.
Apart from the 2020 AFRICA YOUTH championship feat in Mauritania, Ghana has struggled in youth and junior tournaments lately.
Colts football is easy to run and with the necessary investment and the right direction, it will be a good venture to produce much players for Ghana.
The Ghana Football Association recently ensured the colts football started and that is a very good idea for the growth of football.
These young guys get more playing time at the U-12 level and before they graduate to the U-15 level, they have gained a considerable experience.
They spend three seasons at the U-15 level where they equally gather experience under their sleeves.
By the time they graduate from the U-15, they might have attained between 17 and 19 years.
These ages are very ripe for any senior football competition.
Be it at the club level or the national team level and this system, if it continues will be good for the growth of Ghana football.
