The plight of Local coaches

 

 

By Daniel A. Aforo

 

 

 

After the shock resignation of Serbian trainer Ratomir “Doya” Dujkovic,from senior national team, Black Stars of Ghana. Concerns were raised in varoius soccer circles community.

 

Soccer enthusiasts, analysts, administrators, football executives were all left in wonderland as to the successor of Doya.

 

For many years, there has been rapid changes in the technical direction of the senior national team. All manner of expatriates and agents storm the GFA offices with all sorts of Curriculum Vitae (CV).

 

But this was not the case this time round as The Ghana Football Association (GFA),immediately set up a Seven-Member Committee to find a replacement within a two months mandate.

 

The hullabaloo regarding the identity of the coach still raged on, with some calling for an expatriate while others rooted the faith on the domestiocation priniciple.

 

Many coaches employed in the country have been victims of serious criticism.

Some of have failed to live up to expectation which often leads to dismissal, with the likes of Rinus Israel and Ishmael Kurtz falling in these group.

 

Voluntrary resignation is a perfect way, some choose to call the shots without seeing out their contracts.

For others the right way is the “French leave” just as Potuguese  Mariano Barreto who left his job midstream with no apparent reason.

 

This was at a time  the country seriously needed his services in their qualifiaction for the 2006 FIFA World Cup.

 

Not to even talk of Milan Zivadinovic, who cited his mother’s ill health as his reason for abanding his post.

 

In Nigeria, the recent appointment of German Berti Vogts as the Super Eagles coach also became a topical issue. Simply because some were in favour of a local coach.

 

Looking round the continent, majority of the national team coaches are expatriates. Are the indigens not capable?.

 

Meanwhile, most successes chalked by these countries was masterminded by local coaches. In Ghana C.K. Gyamfi, Sam Ardy, Sir Jones Attuquafio, Osam Duodu, the list goes on have performed where foreign coaches could not dwell.

 

The appointments of foreign coaches comes with fatty contracts, huge salaries, bonuses and allowances. These are exclusive of accommodation in five star hotels. On the otherhand, the appointment of local coaches comes with very meager salaries and allowaces.

 

Most of them work without contract which easily facilitates their sack at any given time. Some are even owed  as long as heaven knows.

 

Most fans have argued that some of the foreign coaches come as novices rather use the opportunity available to enrich their Curriculum Vitae for more lucrative offers  in other places.

 

He might have not even heard of our exploits on the international let alone our culture of play .

 

To add salt to injury, they prefer to travel around Europe rather than staying in the heat to to monitor local players.

 

Nothwithstanding,the local coachs,are  always a victim of falsified reports of demanding bribes and gifts from foreign based player to confirm their position in the team.

This makes some foreign players automatic choices in the team even when they warm the bench at their clubs.

 

Former Nigerian star Etim Esin, in an interview with the Business Day on the appointment of Berti Vogts, alluded the biggest problem of the indigenous coaches as “sentiments pondering  in team selections” .

 

Well, the main brouhaha is not about hiring of a foreign or local coach. It is very important for  all Football Associations including the GFA to put measures and policies that would ensure the smooth running of the game.

 

Indeed, good working conditions need to be put in place for all coaches without discrimination.

 

The football associations must desist from given more than one team to a foreign coach. This work load may affect the planning of such coach as previously the case in Ghana, where one coach handled the Black Satellites, Black Meteors and Black Stars.

 

The interferences and power play in our sports administration has affected most teams. Hence the need to desist from interference of who to play, and not.

The coaches should be given the free role to do their work, and all needed support should be given them.

The local coaches should insist on signing contracts before accepting the job. Patriotism is no relative of capital.

They should mete out disciplinary actions to any player who exhibits recalcitrant behavoiur.

 

On the other hand, the foreign based stars ought to know the role the local coaches played in bringing them to that far, therefore respect need to be shown to them.

 

The niggling issue of whose  bachground or race of who  to handle a national team ought to put to rest in all quarters of the continent but rather the needed measures,policy,,respect,dedication and mutual understanding is most important.