The appointment of Prosper Narteh Ogum as head coach of Ghana’s U17 men’s national team has raised mixed reactions, mainly about the players available for him to work with.
Ogum replaces Frimpong Manso, who held the position for seven months, during which he scouted talent across the country for upcoming competitions.
But just a month before the Black Starlets’ first tournament under his leadership, the GFA announced Manso’s departure, citing the need for him to focus on club duties at Bibiani GoldStars.
The change comes ahead of the WAFU B U17 Championship in Nigeria, scheduled for September, around the same time GoldStars will begin their CAF Champions League campaign.
Speaking to Joy Sports, Manso admitted he accepted the decision with some reluctance.
“If you look at September, all the programmes are in September,” he said.
“And it will not be good not to concentrate on one fully. Rather, if we are to do it anyhow, it will not be good for me, it will not be good for the U17s, and GoldStars as well. So it’s something that we sat down and talked about.
“For me, I think that is a good decision. Not that I didn’t want to be with the U17s. I’m very sure it’s just a matter of time. Maybe something of that sort will come again. That opportunity may come again.”
However, he expressed optimism that his assistants would ensure a smooth transition by adequately briefing Ogum on the current players.
“I had two assistants and a goalkeepers’ trainer. They are all there. So I think it will not change anything,” Manso added.
“Ogum is also a very experienced coach. And for me, I don’t think it will affect anything at all.”
In the last year alone, three different coaches (Laryea Kingston, Frimpong Manso, and Prosper Ogum) have handled the Black Starlets, a trend that reflects the lack of continuity in the technical setup.
The team has not qualified for the U17 Africa Cup of Nations nor the World Cup since 2017, eight years ago.
“The Under-17 job is important. It’s not a job that somebody can do alongside another job. We’ve had a lot of these situations where, oh, he can do this job and do that job. It’s not possible,” said seasoned journalist Godfred Akoto Boafo.
“It’s a job that requires much more than just selecting players and coaching them. You are training minds. You are supposed to be a constant presence in the lives of these kids.
He continued: “It’s a full-time job. Somehow, we don’t seem to get those people involved with the Starlets. And these are people who perhaps could have the job for five, six, or seven years.
“Check all the countries that do well — the coaches of their Under-17 teams have been there for 10 years, 15 years, minimum 10 years. If they don’t stay on the job for long enough, at least five years.”
“But somehow, in Ghana, every year we change coaches at the Under-17 level, as if we are changing coaches at the professional level.”
As the team prepares for the WAFU B tournament, which will serve as qualifying for the 2025 U17 AFCON, many will be watching closely to see whether Ogum’s leadership can bring stability and whether the Black Starlets can finally build a foundation strong enough to return to the heights of Ghana’s youth football glory.
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