Ghanaian football legend, Malik Jabir, has expressed his concerns about the current state of football in Ghana, emphasizing the urgent need to revitalize youth football in order to strengthen the national team.
There has been growing criticism surrounding the state of football in Ghana, with many individuals coming together to voice their dissatisfaction under the ‘Save Ghana Football’ movement.
On February 14, 2024, a protest was held to push for reforms to rejuvenate Ghanaian football, resulting in the submission of a 15-point petition to the country’s lawmakers outlining suggestions to rescue the sport.
Joining the conversation, Jabir, a former coach of the Ghanaian national team, acknowledged the concerning state of football in the country. He emphasized that reviving youth football is crucial to reversing the current decline and ultimately strengthening the Black Stars.
In an interview with Akoma FM in Kumasi, Jabir expressed his disappointment with Ghana’s recent struggles, particularly the failure to secure victories against African opponents on three consecutive occasions.
He highlighted the importance of learning from countries like Senegal and Mali by revitalizing youth football structures.
“Ghana has failed to defeat an African team three times in a row, and people expect us to be happy about it? That is not right,” the former Asante Kotoko coach said.
Jabir stressed the need to rebuild teams at the U-17, U-20, and U-23 levels and ensuring a smooth transition for emerging talents. These are essential steps toward establishing a strong foundation for the Black Stars.
“We need to focus on youth football, rebuild the U-17, U-20, and U-23 teams, and ensure a proper transition for them, just like Senegal and Mali have done,” he added.
“This will result in a well-structured team for the Black Stars. We shouldn’t be in denial about the state of football when we couldn’t even win a single game in the AFCON in Cameroon and Ivory Coast,” he added.
