He knows nothing about Ghana Premier League - FC Samartex GM slams decision to name Desmond Ofei as Black Meteors head coach

FC Samartex general manager Edmund Ackah has questioned Desmond Ofei’s suitability to lead Ghana’s U-23 national team, the Black Meteors, citing concerns over his commitment to the domestic league and opportunities for local players.

Ofei was appointed head coach of the Black Meteors after being relieved of his duties as an assistant coach of the Black Stars, with the task of preparing the team for the Olympic Games qualifiers.

However, Ackah believes the coach’s limited presence at Ghana Premier League matches raises questions about his knowledge of locally based players and his ability to identify emerging talent.

“I have never seen Desmond Ofei at a Ghana Premier League match, yet he’s being backed to lead the U-23s [Black Meteors]. He showed little faith in local players at the U-20 level [Black Satellites],” Ackah told Asempa FM.

The experienced football administrator also criticised what he considers a recurring failure to learn from past decisions concerning the development of young Ghanaian footballers.

“Must we keep recycling the same mistakes while our local talents suffer?” he added.

Ackah’s remarks have reignited debate over the representation of Ghana Premier League players in the country’s youth national teams and the need for more effective scouting of the domestic league.

The Black Meteors are an important pathway for young players seeking to progress to the senior national team, the Black Stars.

Ackah’s concerns centre on whether national team coaches are giving locally based talents sufficient opportunities to showcase their abilities.

His criticism of Ofei’s approach to player selection at the U-20 level also raises questions about the emphasis placed on domestic talent as Ghana prepares for another Olympic qualification campaign.

Meanwhile, the Black Meteors are scheduled to face Libya in the second round of the Olympic Games qualifiers as they seek to return to the Olympic Games for the first time since Athens 2004.