Fatau Dauda questions GFA’s proposed plan to solve Ghana’s penalty woes

Black Stars goalkeeper, Fatau Dauda has questioned the viability of a proposed plan by the Ghana Football Association to introduced penalty shootouts in the Ghana League where there are drawn games.

According to Dauda who has played in the Ghana League before, the proposal, though innovative, may not solve Ghana’s penalty troubles at international competitions.

He said coaches must rather encourage players to make a conscious effort to learn the science behind penalty kicks which will make them master the art.

Using himself as an example, Dauda also revealed that during their time in the national team together Crystal Palace striker Jordan Ayew will often promise he (Fatau) $50 for every penalty he saves during training but he never got around to saving Jordan’s kicks no matter how hard he tried.

Dauda made this point to demonstrate that penalty kicks are not lotteries as some would have us believe. According to the former Orlando Pirates goalie, with practice you can perfect the art of penalty taking.

Ghana’s penalty woes are well documented and, in a bid to cure it, the GFA has proposed penalty shootouts in the Premier League during drawn games to help players learn how to score from the spot kick. But Dauda says the onus is on individual players to perfect the practice.

He says good penalty takers such as Jordan Ayew spend enormous time to practice on their own after training on a regular basis.

Speaking on Ghanaweb’s Sports Check programme, Dauda said “Jordan, when I was in the Black Stars sometimes after training, he will say Lion, if you save one, I will give you $50 dollars,” Dauda said. When asked if he’s able to save one, the man affectionately known as the ‘Lion’ said, “I can’t even save one.”