Ghana U17 head coach Prosper Narteh Ogum believes Ghana’s football development system has a significant transitional gap, warning that the pathway from the youth teams to the senior Black Stars is no longer as seamless as it was in previous generations.
Ogum made the observation at the Ghana Football Association’s 32nd Ordinary Congress in Prampram, where he reflected on the structure that produced Ghana’s celebrated 2010 World Cup squad.
He cited the 2010 Black Stars team as an example of how players could progress through the national youth sides before making the step up to the senior team.
“I will always talk about the 2010 Black Stars. Apart from the goalkeeper to those on the bench, you could clearly see that this is a team that had gone through the transitional process to get to the top,” Ogum said.
He explained that several members of that squad had represented Ghana at different youth levels before eventually becoming senior internationals.
“The Michael Essiens and what have you played for the U17, the U20, played for the Olympic team, and then they graduated to the Black Stars,” he added.
According to Ogum, that structured progression helped create a generation of players who were adequately prepared for senior international football.
“But I think currently, we don’t have that,” he stated.
His concerns come into sharp focus after only one locally based player, Hearts of Oak goalkeeper Benjamin Asare, was included in Ghana’s squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, highlighting the widening gap between domestic football and the national team.
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