Head coach of Ghana’s U20 men’s team, Desmond Offei has stated in an interview with 3Sports that he has designed what he termed as a “multi-faceted approach”, a comprehensive scouting strategy – to ensure every talent across the length and breadth of the country who is eligible is given an opportunity to be selected into the national team.
His comments come ahead of preparations to the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations AFCON. Black Satellites booked a slot for the competition in Ivory Coast after finishing as runners up at the WAFU Zone B Championship to Nigeria October last year.
Offei in explaining Offei said he will execute an all-inclusive plan and strategy to draws players from the Ghana Premier League, the Division One League, regional competitions and Ghanaian talents outside the shores of the country to form the national team.
“To build a competitive and well-rounded U20 National Team, it is essential to cast a wide scouting net that encompasses domestic leagues, regional competitions, and international talent pools. Our strategy outlines a comprehensive plan to identify and invite top talent for observation,” he said.
“We will invite players from the Ghana Premier League and Division One League for observation in a bid to identify the best young talents. We will also broaden the scouting base by tracking young players from RFA leagues, including those who featured in the qualifiers.”
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“The process will also review the squad that won the African Games, giving a platform eligible players who have proven their ability at continental level. Lastly, top talents based outside Ghana will be brought in to create a balanced team that can compete internationally,” he added.
“By utilizing this multi-faceted approach, we can ensure that the U20 national team is well-equipped with the best available talent, both domestically and abroad, to compete at the highest level,” Offei concluded.
According to the former head coach of Royal Antwerp FC U-18 and U-21, the criteria for selection will be based on “technical ability, tactical awareness, physical attributes, mentality and character, and potential for growth”.
He currently has Nii Ordartey Lamptey and Salifu Fatawu as his assistants.
