Unpaid youth coaches could undermine Ghana football

Former Ghana international Augustine Arhinful has warned that failure to pay coaches of the country’s junior national teams could expose player selection to undue influence and corruption.

Arhinful has urged the Ghana Football Association (GFA) to improve the working conditions of local coaches and give them greater independence to develop young players for the senior national team.

Speaking on Ahenfie FM, the former striker expressed concern about what he described as the micromanagement of coaches at the junior level, warning that weaknesses in youth development could undermine Ghanaian football in the long term.

“Local coaches have to position themselves well. That’s why we say the coaches are being micro-managed, especially the junior national teams. If we don’t get it right from there, we won’t get it right at the top,” he said.

Arhinful also questioned the disparity between the remuneration of the Black Stars coaching staff and that of coaches responsible for developing players at the junior level.

He claimed that while the Black Stars head coach and his assistant receive salaries, local coaches appointed to junior national teams often work without being paid.

“Have you heard that a local coach in charge of any of our national teams has been paid before? The Black Stars coach and the assistant are paid, but where the development of the players begins to reach the senior level, they are not being paid. It’s like we are doing them a favour,” he added.

The former international warned that leaving youth coaches without salaries could make them vulnerable to approaches from individuals seeking to influence player selection.

Drawing on his experience as a committee member, Arhinful said he had witnessed situations that raised concerns about the potential consequences of failing to pay coaches, while cautioning against suggesting that such practices were widespread.

“If we don't pay coaches, they can be influenced because I've seen this happen before as a committee member. But I can’t generalise it as the norm,” he said.

He explained that financial pressure could leave unpaid coaches susceptible to offers from individuals seeking to secure opportunities for particular players.

“In such instances, someone can bring his player to the coach for selection, and because he hasn’t been paid, he will take the player after taking an amount from the person. That’s all I’m trying to say,” he said.

Arhinful stressed that the issue was particularly important at the junior level, where players receive their early national team exposure and begin their development towards the Black Stars.

He argued that better working conditions for youth coaches would strengthen accountability, protect the integrity of selection decisions and ensure players are selected on merit.

The former Ghana international believes addressing these concerns at the junior level is essential to building a stronger senior national team.

“If we can correct these little things, then we can be able to tell which player qualified to play in the Black Stars,” he concluded.