Wednesday, 17 September 2008 is exactly a year after the formation of Red Bull Soccer Academy West Limited .
On the 17th September,2007 Red Bull Soccer Academy West Africa Limited based at Sogakope in the Volta Region Of Ghana was acquired from Lavantal .With few buildings on ground :three hostel facilities,four bungalows, four classroom blocks, mini kitchen, mini water treatment system and one natural grass pitch just to mention a few..
The challenges from the start were so enormous : getting committed and hard working personnel including coaches,football talents for the target teams (1st Team,U.17,U15 and U.13) ,school inside the academy for players to attend, high class playing field, improvement on the existing infrastructures and other logistics etc.
With about eight personnel including the general manager and the then Technical Director with no single player on ground, the task was indeed a herculean task. There was the need to expedite actions to get the challenges addressed in a shortest practicable time for the academy to become the best or among the best in Africa.
Immediately, we put up an effective system and embarked on series of recruitment exercises nationwide to select football talents for the various groups of the Academy. By God¢s grace,and the help from Red Bull ,the first team was formed to participate in the 2nd division league in Volta Region. Just before the league started, the appointment of the technical director was terminated for reasons which was in the interest of the Academy. The team participated in the league and had hundred percent record by winning all their league matches to top the group which saw us qualifying for the middle league.
Later on, the same system of recruitment exercise nationwide and other selected West African countries was adopted to get the other three teams in place:U.17, U15 and U.13. Now the academy can boost of all the target teams with some foreign nationals .
One year in existence , Red Bull Soccer Academy West Africa Limited can boast of about fifty five talented footballers, forty personnel ,three high standard artificial pitches with the main pitch with flood lights which is one of its kind in the country and one multi functional court. Well equipped classroom blocks, computer room for I.T education, standard kitchen and cafeteria, Laundry room, two dressing rooms, two Mercedes Benz buses for the teams etc. Four players from the academy have been called into the national teams. Three are in the National U.17 Soccer team.. Kwme Frimpong who is the skipper of the team, Felix Adjei and Ibrahim Mohammed. Joshua Otoo is in the National U.20 team camp and has been playing every training match which a clear signal of him getting a regular place in the team.
The Academy, though not a the finished stage, we hosted the U.17 soccer team for ten days prior to their match with Libya in Accra which ended 3-0 in Ghana¢s favour .we are ever ready and our doors are always opened to extend similar gesture to all the national teams especially the Black Stars as they confront the 2010 WC/CAN . Still at the budding stage ,the first team of the Academy, not long ago ,humiliated one of the most glamorous clubs in the country Accra Hearts Of Oak by beating them 3-1 in a friendly game at Sogakope..
The school in the academy is running with qualified and dedicated teachers and players attend classes as directed by G.E.S along side playing football.
Construction works on what we in the Red Bull Soccer Academy family call ¡¢The African part ¡¢of the Academy project has been completed within this short period.
The next stage is ¡¢The European part ¡¢which comprises: five star guest house with swmming pool,medical centre, gymnasium ,office complex and also stands for the supporters.This project ,all things being equal ,will be completed before our second anniversary.
On completion, it is our target to have eighty players altogether and 50 personnel running the academy. Red Bull Soccer Academy West Africa Limited vision is to produce high class football talents for Ghana ,Africa and the World and that is the reason we are much concerned with making available the best facilities on ground to help us realize our dream or vision. Now we have a new Technical Director . As we go into the middle league competition ,it is the hope of Red Bull Soccer Academy family that the players and the technical will perform the magic during the league in the middle league competition to crown the anniversary with promotion to the first division. Special thanks have to be given to world no.1 energy drink, RED BULL, owners of the Academy and Mr. Dietrich Mateschitz ,Mr Heinz Hochhasser,Mr.Markus Messner, Markus Egger, Sports Minister Hon.Osei Bonsu Amoah and Ministry of Education Science and Sports,Ghana Football Association,other co-operate agencies and individuals space and time will not allow their names to be mentioned, staff and players of the Red Bull Soccer Academy West Africa Limited for making it possible for us to reach where we are now. I still call for their unflinching support and commitment, especially, The Government and People Of Ghana in the years ahead for us to realize our vision.
God Bless Red Bull Soccer Academy West Africa Limited. Thank you.
Mr.Sanzio Bahner.
General Manager
