Black Stars coach, Chris Hughton, has been lauded for his willingness to monitor Ghana Premier League.
The former Premier League manager has been at several Premier League and Division One League grounds after signing a 21-month deal as the head coach of the senior national team.
Despite leaving out local players in his initial 24-man squad for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers against Madagascar, Bechem United striker, Hafiz Wontah Konkoni has been handed a late call-up to the Black Stars.
And Kingsley Owusu-Achau, who is the owner of Bechem United speaking to Graphic Sports praised Hughton and his assistant, Mas-Ud Didi Dramani, for their dedicated visits to multiple league venues across the country, closely observing the players’ performances.
According to him, their commitment over the past few months represented a departure from previous norms, where national team coaches rarely ventured out to scout players at various league centres.
“Coach Hughton toured the length and breadth of this country to monitor the league, and this is truly refreshing news. In the past, we have had coaches who barely stayed in the country, let alone scouted for players,” stated Mr Owusu-Achau.
He added that Konkoni’s inclusion in the Black Stars would serve as strong motivation for home-based players and instil in them a strong belief that hard work and dedication can lead to future opportunities.
Hafiz Konkoni scored 15 goals for Bechem United to finish the season as the betPawa Premier League’s second top scorer
Konkoni finished the betPawa Premier League as the second-highest scorer with 15 goals, just three goals behind the impressive tally of 18 goals achieved by Abednego Tetteh of Bibiani Goldstars.
The veteran football administrator believes that the presence of the national team’s coaches at the league venues alone will enhance the competitiveness of the local league, as players will be motivated to give their best in the hopes of catching the attention of the coaches.
“By extensively travelling across the country to explore the possibility of including local players in the squad, Coach Hughton’s actions bring refreshing news. This has the potential to make the local league more appealing and retain talented players within it,” he added.
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