Chairman of the Ghana League Clubs Association (GHALCA), Mr. Cudjoe Fianoo has given insights on this year's 'Top 4' tournament mainly touching on clubs that are available to play this year and not.
Ghana legend, Asamoah Gyan has confessed how elated he felt after Spanish youngster Nico Williams chose him as his idol in a recent interview and described him as one of the most promising players in world football currently.
Former Ghanaian midfielder Derek Boateng has criticized the Ghana Football Association (GFA) for failing to secure key European-born talents, pointing to Spain’s intervention as a reason for losing out on players like Nico Williams.
In an interview with Accra-based Kingdom FM, Boateng expressed frustration over Ghana’s inability to attract promising players such as Kobbie Mainoo, Jeremy Doku, Jeremie Frimpong, and Nico Williams. He believes the GFA should have acted sooner to engage these talents.
“How can we lose players like Kobbie Mainoo, Jeremy Doku, Jeremie Frimpong, and Nico Williams?” Boateng asked, as reported by Ghanaweb. “Inaki Williams is playing for us, but why couldn’t we get Nico? Because he is good and talented, Spain blocked his chances of playing for Ghana.”
Boateng emphasized the importance of being proactive in engaging with Europe-based players early on. He warned that waiting until they are established players could be too late, as their parents might not be open to switching allegiance if Ghana was not involved from the start.
The 41-year-old, who had a distinguished international career with Ghana from 2001 to 2013, including a notable role in the Black Satellites' runner-up finish at the 2001 U-20 FIFA World Cup, called for a more strategic approach in nurturing young talents. Nico Williams, who has impressed with his performances for Spain and played a significant role in La Roja's triumph in the 2024 European Championships, exemplifies the missed opportunities for Ghana to benefit from such emerging stars.
The Ghana Football Association has revealed the official dates for the 2024/25 Malta Guinness Women's Premier League (WPL) season. The league will kick off on Friday, October 18, 2024, featuring matches in both the Northern and Southern zones.
Running from October 18-21, 2024, the first round will conclude on January 24-27, 2025. The second round is set to start on January 31-February 3, 2025, and will wrap up on April 11-14, 2025.
To ensure players and officials can participate in the National Elections on December 7, 2024, the WPL will take a break during this period. The league will also pause for the Christmas and New Year holidays. The calendar will include specific dates for the 2024/25 Women's FA Cup matches as well.
The grand finale, which will pit the Northern and Southern Zone champions against each other, is scheduled for the weekend of May 2-5, 2025. This early conclusion aims to give the winner ample time to prepare for the WAFU B Champions League qualifying competition.
The GFA's detailed calendar is designed to ensure a competitive and balanced season, providing fair opportunities for all teams involved.
The English Premier League powerhouse have handed a trial opportunity to the highly-rated Ghanaian young midfielder for a potential long-term contract this summer.
FC Samartex 1996 coach Nurudeen Amadu is set to follow in the footsteps of veteran coaches Abdul Karim Zito and Evans Adotey as he prepares for his first campaign in African competitions. Having led Samartex to Premier League triumph last season, Amadu is now focused on their CAF Champions League first-round match against Victoria United of Cameroon.
Amadu aims to emulate the success achieved by Zito with Dreams FC and Adotey with Medeama SC, both of whom delivered impressive performances in Africa last season. He expressed his admiration, stating, "It's a privilege and I take inspiration from any of them like [Karim] Zito, [Evans] Adotey. Medeama as a club, what they have been able to do, we are all proud of them."
Acknowledging the challenge ahead, Amadu added, "Since it's our debut, we are also trying to go far, trying to do our best. It's not going to be easy. The technical team, the playing body, the management, and the investors are all motivated to carry the team to a different level."
Last season, Dreams FC and Medeama SC both reached the group stage of their respective African competitions, with Dreams FC being eliminated in the CAF Confederation Cup semi-finals by eventual winners Zamalek.
