Didi Dramani calls for deliberate, sustainable approach to Ghana’s youth football development

GhanaSoccernet · 10/26/2026, 4:10:33 PM

Former Black Stars assistant coach Mas-Ud Didi Dramani has urged Ghana to adopt a deliberate and consistent approach to youth football development, insisting that lasting success requires proper structures and sustained investment in talent.Ghana’s youth teams have struggled to deliver at major competitions in recent years, with the latest disappointment coming when the Black Starlets failed to qualify for the U-17 Africa Cup of Nations after losing to Côte d’Ivoire in the WAFU Zone B semi-finals.Dramani, who guided Ghana’s U-20 women’s team to bronze at the 2012 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Japan, believes the country must prioritise identifying, recruiting and nurturing young players to reverse the trend.“When you want to bring a concept, it is a matter of being very deliberate and remaining very consistent, and you have to be sustainable. Development is all about talent identification, recruitment and also the ability to nurture,” he told JoySports.The experienced coach stressed that Ghana cannot expect improved results without establishing the right foundations, including better coaching and structured development pathways through schools and clubs.“Creating success is not just talking. You don’t start winning games without putting in the right measures. When you’re deliberate, you’ll train...