Baffoe wants Nigeria emulation
by Gary Al-Smith 21 February 2013, 17:48
Former Black Star, Anthony Baffoe has added to calls for former players to be consulted in the running of Ghana's football teams.
Using Nigeria as an example, he hinted that making the head coach and assistant the focus of the Black Stars, for example, is good but not enough. He called for former players' wealth of experience to be tapped - just like Nigeria have done.
“They have graced many pitches and they can add a lot to the game. Nigeria was a perfect example. From the kit man to the head coach, Stephen Keshi, everybody was a former player.”
Baffoe, the player who missed the crucial penalty that saw Ivory Coast beat Ghana in the Afcon 1992, argued that years of knoweldge of those who have been there should not be wasted.
“It is now time for the former players to get involved from the under 17 to the Black Stars. There are a few being used now like Yaw Preko, Maxwell Konadu, Kwesi Appiah, the Black Stars head coach, but what about the likes of Abedi Pele, Marcel Desailly, Samuel Osei Kuffour, Stephen Appiah, Abdul Razak, Mohammed Polo?”
However, he was quick to issue a caveat. “I am not saying that every former player can be a good technical person but we should come together, find criteria and select those who are appropriate.”
He was speaking on Citi FM in Accra on Wednesday.
Baffoe also urged the Ghana FA to speed up the top up of the technical team's ability in light of the tougher challenges that are coming up.
“Sometimes you need to have controversial debates within the technical staff to move the team forward. For instance, when some will say that Kwadwo Asamoah should be played in midfield, other will call for him in the left-back role. These debates are not to create disruptions but they are to move the team forward.”
The former Star is now heavily involved in football administration at the Caf and Fifa levels, with his latest assignment as the General Coordinator of Afcon 2012 matches revealing the extent of his elevation in recent years.
