In times past Ghanaian footballers over the world were revered for their quality and skill due to the exceptional trail blazed by the likes of Abedi Pele, Tony Yoboah, Micheal Essien, C.K .Akonnor, Stephen Appiah, among a host of others, at the outside world.
In fact, it is said that the quality of Ghanaian players then could easily be compared to players in Brazil, which is considered to be the hub of footballers with the quality and talent unmatched anywhere on the globe.
It was for this that a few years ago, Ghanaian talents were spread all over the world and dominated European football. This gave local football fans a sense of pride as they were served with sumptuous and delectable football each weekend by their compatriots abroad.
Most fans looked forward to the weekends because there were many games to choose from, knowing that at least a Ghanaian would be spotted in a game somewhere.
We easily could remember Michael Essien playing at the heart of Chelsea’s midfield each weekend, so were Sulley Muntari for AC Milan, Stephen Appiah at Juventus, Sammy Kuffour at Bayern Munich, John Mensah at Sunderland, Asamoah Gyan at Sunderland, Richard Kingson at Blackpool.
The list is endless because the likes of Matthew Amoah at Borussia Dortmund was a sight to behold and the likes of Eric Addo at PSV Eindhoven, Otto Addo at FSV Mainz, Hans Sarpei at VfL Wolfsburg, Emmanuel Pappoe at Hapoel Kfa Saba, John Paintsil at Fulham, all gave Ghanaians reasons not to miss the European league matches.
What we see today is a sharp contrast to the reigns of the aforementioned players. Today, not only has our population in the European leagues dwindled but we can not point to as many quality players comparable to the quality we witnessed a few years back.
Apart from Thomas Partey who has become a torch bearer for the country’s football abroad, the rest are only considered to be adding to the numbers, with nothing much to write home about.
During those days the route of choice of every Ghanaian player entering the big European leagues was through playing in Holland or Norway until they were eventually discovered by the bigger clubs and priced away.
It was unthinkable for Ghanaian players to seek greener pastures in less-fancied football nations on the continent and in countries like Guinea, Ethiopia, Niger among others.
Sadly, that is the situation now and how the current local footballers have reduced the game to. I find it quite surprising that even at these places, some Ghanaian players who’s talent are cherished so much on the local scene, still travel to such places and are unable to make the cut.
Just after one or two seasons, they return home all in the name of coming to relaunch their career.
Until Patrick Razak left Accra Hearts of Oak to sign for Guinean club, Horoya, he was considered one of the best players on the local scene yet whatever may have caused his inability to breakthrough in the Guinean league remains a big puzzle yet to be unravelled.
He is not the only player who could not survive in less fancied leagues as several other players have travelled to places such as Ethiopia, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, not to talk about obscure leagues around the world and failed the test, only to come back home under the pretext of relaunching their careers.
In all these, the excessive love for money by managers of most of these players must be blamed for what is happening. They are quick to fly out players after a season for just anything instead of waiting and grooming the player to develop into top-class footballers that would command a high price from better clubs.
Liberty Professionals’ Alhaji Sly Tetteh, until his death, would make sure his players were fully developed and more marketable before thinking of shipping them out. And anytime they stepped out they became competitive, and within a few years they appreciate in price.
Players such as Asamoah Gyan, Sulley Muntari and Michael Essien are just a few names who went through the hands of the Liberty Professionals owner and became successful.
Even though he may not be alive, the current managers can still learn from his legacy and avoid stampeding players abroad for greener pastures, which mostly end up disastrously, thereby ruining the career of their players.
Source: Graphic.com.gh