Ghana must invest in long-term sports development, not just appointing top coaches, says NSA boss Prof. Emmanuel Osei Sarpong

GhanaSoccernet · 10/22/2026, 7:33:27 AM

Acting Director-General of the National Sports Authority (NSA), Prof. Emmanuel Osei Sarpong, says Ghana must prioritise long-term planning, infrastructure and athlete development rather than rely solely on high-profile coaching appointments to address its sporting challenges.His comments come amid growing concerns over Ghana’s sporting performance, particularly football, following disappointing results by the men’s and women’s national teams and renewed questions about administration, tactical direction and player development.The Black Stars have faced intense scrutiny after losing 2-0 to Ivory Coast and 4-2 to The Gambia in their opening matches of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.The defeats have fuelled calls for changes within the Ghana Football Association (GFA) and prompted further debate about the country’s approach to developing football talent.Speaking to Citi Sports, Prof. Osei Sarpong argued that Ghana’s challenges extend beyond coaching appointments, pointing to inadequate long-term planning, poor coordination among sports institutions and insufficient investment in athlete development.“Our problem with Ghana sports, not football alone, has been long-term planning, long-term development of athletes,” he said.He called for closer collaboration between the NSA, the Ghana Olympic Committee (GOC) and sports federations to establish a coordinated system for identifying and nurturing young talent.Prof. Osei...