GFA Technical Director, Bernhard Lippert outlines plans to develop football in Ghana

Newly appointed Technical Director of the Ghana Football Association, Bernhard Lippert, has shed light on his ambitions and a number of programmes he seeks to undertake to develop the game in Ghana.

The 58-year-old German, a FIFA expert in instructing and training coaches and coach trainers, started work two weeks ago, having flown into Antalya, Turkey to watch the Black Stars play against Mali and Qatar.

He touched on his national football philosophy, where he maintained that early talent identification will go a long way to improve the nation’s football fortunes.

Lippert believes football is not so difficult but insist he needs help of the people in this country to define the DNA of the country.

‘Football is not so difficult; it is same everywhere but we only have different kind of organization, structure and different kind of culture, education which is very important to develop a country’s football.

“We have to find out the DNA of this country, which means we have to develop our national football philosophy which I cannot decide alone, so I need the help of the people in this country to define the DNA of the country and then follow a structured way through which youth football will be organized and bring it through the youth national teams to the top,” he appealed.

He also indicated that, grassroots football must produce the best talents and that the FA has to write down programs for all youth national teams to develop them step by step.

“There are lots of departments which have to be developed and it starts with children in the school (grassroot football) which must be better organized. Football in schools or festivals should be able to produce the best talents between 10 and 14 years.

“We need an early talent identification and so we have to define the most talented children within this age and train them in a holistic way to find out the best talent. We have to also write down programs for all youth national teams to develop them step by step and if we follow this way, I am sure we will be successful,” he said.

On how to streamline coaching in Ghana, Lipperts indicated that it has to be adapted to the cultural education so that all coaches will have the same sense of football.

Meanwhile, “I made a research and I realized that we need help when it comes to infrastructure, manpower but the most important thing is to structure and organize everything which is my main target in the next two years.”

Bernhard Lippert says he feels very positive in his new role.

Until this appointment, Lippert was Technical Director of the Association of Football Federation of Azerbaijan (AFFA), a position he occupied for 12 years.

The 58-year-old, who also coached Azerbaijan’s national U17, U19 and U21 teams during his 12-year stay, has previously had coaching spells with German football giants Bayern Munich and English side Leeds United.