GFA President, Kurt Okraku and FIFA/UEFA Coach Educator, Markus Fritz Schmid
The Ghana Football Association (GFA) and UEFA Assist have ended a three-day Coaching capacity-building programme for Head coaches of the 18 Premier League clubs.
FIFA/UEFA Coach Educator, Markus Fritz Schmid spearheaded the training with support from the GFA Technical Director Bernhard Lippert and Director of Coaching Education, Professor Joseph Kwame Mintah.
Addressing the coaches after the training program, GFA President Kurt Okraku said his administration is keen on capacity building and will ensure that more of such training programmes are made accessible to coaches in the Premier, Division One, and the Women’s Premier League.
“I am happy we have been able to pull this one off and it tells you that our new Technical Directorate have been working. This is a big step for us and the fact that through their hard work we have been able to create this platform to exchange and acquire knowledge and it’s a big plus,” he said.
“When we met some few months ago, I did say that capacity building is key for us and that’s the only way we can improve our coaching. We do have big problems in coaching and it’s only through such platforms that we can learn, share ideas, critique what we do and collectively improve”.
“Our League will always be strong if all of us improve and that is the essence of this gathering and this will not be the end. For the FA to work closely with UEFA to bring people like him (Markus Fritz Schmid) is a big step. I am sure all of you will pick up at least one idea from this”.
“I am here to show support and to say that, we will continue to provide such platforms not only for the Elite Coaches but also for the Division One and the Female Coaches and that is the only way we can improve” President Simeon-Okraku added.
“FIFA/UEFA Coach Educator, Markus Fritz Schmid who took the coaches through the technical training, commended their efforts and hope this is the beginning good things to come.
“This has been a very interesting and fruitful exchange of knowledge with coaches and top representatives of Ghana Football and we have a few interesting topics to addressing mainly of how football is played and coached in the country and of course the ambition of the federation to come out with some principle and playing style.
“To each and every one of them, I believe have picked something out of this, where they can actually apply what we have discussed, how to apply and implement in their particular environment – this is not only about knowledge but also understanding some of the key principles and mold it with their knowledge and environment and use it to the benefit of their players and their projects”.
“I hope this is a start to a regular sustainable cooperation because there is a lot of work to be addressed and the passion, the interest and contribution they made throughout is very promising and I would expect a lot from them in further events of a similar stage’’ he added.
This League Development capacity building Programme forms part of the GFAs agenda of enhancing the capacity of coaches in the country and bringing them up to speed with modern trends in coaching.