The Ghana Football Association has recently reiterated its commitment to reviving colts football in Ghana.
The colts system has hitherto served as an avenue for producing talents for all of Ghana’s national teams at all levels.
The core of the team that qualified the country for its maiden world cup appearance in 2006 all came through the colts system.
Stephen Appiah, Sulley Muntari, John Mensah, Michael Essien, Asamoah Gyan, Laryea Kington, Richard Kingson and a host of others all came through Ghana’s amateur football clubs.
In recent years however, the emergency of football academies in the country and their accompanying success, which coincided with the decline of colts football, has led to raging debate on which system will produce better results going foward.
The likes of Right To Dream, Africa Talents, West Africa Football Academy (WAFA) among many others have seen emerging influence in the national teams, causing people to rethink the country’s football grassroots structure.
While the debate rages on, Citi Sports research has put together the full list players to have made their full debuts for the Black Stars of Ghana in the last 5 years.
Interestingly, out of the 35 players, colts football leads the way with 17 players. The academies have contributed 11 while 7 players have been trained by foreign-based clubs.
Take a look at the full list below:
ACADEMY
Ajax’s new signing, Mohammed Kudus, Yaw Yeboah and Raphael Dwamena are among the young lads trained by football academies to make their debut for the Black Stars of Ghana.
Below is the full list:
Samuel Owusu – Redbull, Vision FC
Gideon Mensah – WAFA
Mohammed Kudus – Right to Dream
Razak Abalora – WAFA
Ernest Asante – Feyenoord
Patrick Twumasi – Red Bull
Yaw Yeboah – Right to Dream
Evans Mensah – Right to Dream
Kingsley Sarfo – Golden Boot
Thomas Agyepong – Right to Dream
Raphael Dwamena – Red Bull
COLTS
With colts football, a the likes of Richard Ofori, Thomas Partey, and Kasim Nuhu have gone on to solidify their spots in the first time.
Below is the list:
Lawrence Ati-Zigi – Argentinos, Red Bull
Joseph Aidoo – Inter Allies
Iddrisu Baba – Prisco Minis
Ebenezer Assifuah – Proud United
Nicholas Opoku – Corners Babies
Richard Ofori – Own FC, Wa All-Stars
Kwabena Owusu – SC Accra
Kasim Nuhu – Medeama
Isaac Sackey – Liberty Professionals
Ebenezer Ofori – Glory FC, New Edubiase
Emmanuel Boateng – De-Gunners FC, Charity Stars
Thomas Partey – Odometah FC
Bernard Tekpetey- Unistar Academy
Godfred Donsah – DC United, Agogo
Joseph Attamah – Tema Youth
Kwadwo Poku – Kotoko
Lumor Agbenyenu – Dansoman Barcelona
FOREIGN-TRAINED
The likes of Andy Yiadom, Kwesi Appiah, and Caleb Ekuban have made their Black Stars debuts and are gunning to making their stay permanent in the team.
View the list below:
Caleb Ekuban – Chievo Verona, Italy
Kwesi Appiah –Ebbsfleet United, England
Nana Opoku Ampomah – Prisco Minis, Belgium
Edwin Gyasi – AFC Youth, Netherlands
Kwasi Okyere Wriedt – SC Hamm 02, Germany
Christopher Antwi Adjei – Hasper SV, Germany
Andy Yiadom – Watford
