CHAN would boost domestic game

The huge financial gap between Ghana's league system as compared to the leagues overseas especially that of Europe continues to affect the standard of the domestic game.

Ghana's premier league is valued at close to $4million dollars with some clubs operating on less than a $200,000 budget annually. And this always forces owners to sell their exciting players to recoup money for the running of the clubs.

With the introduction new African Nations Championship (CHAN), a continental tournament meant for players playing in domestic African leagues only, Ghana would be required to raise a local national team to play the qualifiers for the championship.

According to Kwesi Nyantakyi, President of the Ghana Football Association, it's the FA's policy to have a standing local team.

However, during every transfer window, scores of players after showing promise leave in search of big football dreams abroad, a situation Kwesi Nyantakyi, says defeats the idea of having a standing local national team.

“The financial support of clubs makes it difficult for players stay. It's a real dilemma that we need to confront,” Kwesi Nyantakyi says.

“You cannot just call the players into camp because there is a local league program going on. And when the players play here for a while, the next minute, they are on a flight to another country to play professional football there.”

CHAN is a boost for local game

Yet still, the FA President believes the introduction of the African Nations Championship would afford Claude Le Roy - who has been handed a two-year contract extension - the opportunity to really build a local side that would be integrated into the Black Stars.

“Claude Le Roy would be in charge of the local team. From that team, he has to create a certain fusion with the foreign-based players and have a good team.”

The FA President believes Claude Le Roy's knowledge of the local game since his arrival in Ghana would help him raise a good team for the Championship.

“Over the last few years, no coach has given as much attention to local players as Le Roy has. Le Roy has visited almost every League venue and is constantly in tune with the local game. It has been a challenge but he has worked with the players on some occasions and knows them very well.

“He may have picked foreign-based players for games involving the Black Stars, but he had three home-based players in the 23-man squad,” Kwesi Nyantakyi says.

The African Nations Championship will take place in Cote d'Ivoire from the 22nd of February till the 8th of March 2009.