Black Stars midfielder, Sulley Muntari, believes most talented players in the country now have not found their way in the national youth team due to corrupt practices which has hindered the progress of the Ghana’s youth football in comparison with the past.
Ghana, during the early 1990’s established their dominance in World football at the youth level with various football stars making a mark for themselves.
But according to former AC Milan star, most young players have to pay their way through to get selected into the national teams which is making our youth development a big problem.
Speaking on the Football Legends Night Show on GHONE TV, Muntari said, “Ghana has raw and amazing talents but then most of them have to pay their way through to up there. But when I was picked to go national U-17, I didn’t pay for one penny at that time, so I was just picked because they liked the way I played.”
“So we should go back to how it was back then and not about who you know but it’s your talent that will make you move forward and that is what we can do to bring the generation up. Look at the players that have played at the youthful level in the past, we don’t have them anymore and that kind of hunger anymore. So we should focus on our youth because there are lots of talents Academy’s in Ghana but you don’t see in the national team.”
The former Inter Milan Star also believes all stakeholders in the football fraternity must work together to find solutions on how youth football will thrive.
“I think the journalist together with the FA should work hard to find a solution to this problem and help the nations. Because most Ghanaians are not happy with what they are seeing compared to players like Stephen Appiah, Laryea Kingston, Sammy Kuffour, Abedi Pele and Augustine Arhinful…, ” Muntari said.
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