Former Ashantigold and Ebusua Dwarfs coach Ernest Thompson has called for increased faith and trust in local coaching talent.
Ghanaian football clubs have increasingly turned to expatriate tacticians in recent times, sidelining coaches from within the country including Asante Kotoko who recently had Seydou Zerbo as Prosper Ogum's replacement before the latter's return as well as Hearts of Oak whose last two substantive managers have all been expatriates.
Thompson, in a recent interview, emphasised that local coaches have the potential to excel when provided with the same support given to their foreign counterparts.
"The only challenge is that the kind of support, remunerations, and other things given to the expatriate by the clubs are not given to the local coaches, and that’s the reason why they part ways with local coaches within a short time."
He highlighted the disparity in support and compensation as a demotivating factor for local coaches and suggested that leveling the playing field could lead to improved performance.
"If local coaches are given the same support or something closer as the expatriate, I think that would have been another good motivation for the local coaches to work," Thompson asserted. He also emphasized the importance of learning from past mistakes, citing instances where clubs faced fines from CAF and FIFA for underperforming foreign coaches.
Thompson urged clubs to have faith and trust in local coaches, investing in their development through training and courses. By doing so, he believes clubs can avoid unnecessary spending while harnessing the competence of talented local coaches.
Thompson expressed confidence in his coaching abilities, stating, "We have very competent coaches, of which I see myself as one, to handle Hearts of Oak and make it great again," he added.