Neil Armstrong-Mortagbe, Head of Public Relations and Strategy at the Ghana Football Association (GFA), has emphasized that the creation of various national teams at different age levels will ensure a smooth transition for players moving up from the U-17 squad.
Ghana's U17 side the Black Starlets finished fourth in the WAFU B U17 tournament after losing to Nigeria in the third-place game, a performance that underscores the potential within the squad despite the recent instability.
The team impressed at the beginning of the tournament beating Ivory Coast and Benin 5-1 and 2-0 respectively. However they lost to Burkina Faso in the semifinals before settling for fourth place.
Responding to concerning raised by Ghanaians on how to manage the promising talents, Armstrong-Mortagbe said, "Remember, we used to have only certain competitive national teams: U17, U20, U23, and the senior Black Stars. One of the strategic insights we gained was that between U17 and U20, many players seemed to get lost in those three transitional years," Armstrong-Mortagbe explained in an interview with Joy Prime.
"By the vision of President Kurt Okraku and the Executive Council, the decision was taken to form national teams for every age level. So, when you transition from U17, you go to U18. There is a team of qualified coaches there to manage your transition, then you move to U19, and then to U20."
This structured pathway is designed to provide continuous development and support for young players, ensuring that their talents are nurtured and retained within the national team framework.
As the GFA navigates this period of transition, the focus remains on ensuring that young talents continue to develop and contribute to the future success of Ghanaian football.