Ghana can replicate Senegal's feat in Africa if youth policy is activated - Oti Akenteng

Former Technical Director of the Ghana Football Association, Oti Akenteng, believes it is still possible for Ghana to replicate the success of Senegal in Africa.

Akenteng stated that Ghana can only achieve this if it properly implements its youth policy.

He said, “With proper planning, things will go on well. This is how the Senegal success story started, in 2015 we (GFA) and Senegal together with some other African countries started the youth development system from the scratch.

“They (Senegal) continued with the policy to carefully implement the youth development project with a blueprint starting from the juvenile level.”

Akenteng noted that Ghana has taken steps towards replicating Senegal's success, but that it must start at the youth level before reaching the elite level.

He said, “But our own is not the same. We want to start from the top (Black Stars) and achieve all other success at a goal, the truth is that it cannot happen like that.

“We must rather start with the colts before we get to the elite, and plan well as some other countries have done. We had a five-year development plan in the past (Ben Kofi era), and during my tenure as the technical director, we continued by reshaping them. The current FA has started something and they should strengthen it well, surely we shall achieve the same.”

Senegal has enjoyed great success in recent years, winning the U20 AFCON, the CHAN tournament and the Beach Soccer tournament. They are also the current Africa Cup of Nations champions.

JNA/OGB