Man City coaches mentor Ghana's next football stars in 4-day clinic
Coaches from English Premier League side Manchester City have completed a four-day football clinic in Accra aimed at developing young football talents and strengthening grassroots football in Ghana.
The clinic, organised by QNET, brought together 25 participants – 19 boys and six girls – who undertook intensive training sessions, mentorship and football drills under professional coaching standards.
At a press briefing to climax the four-day event, Deputy Regional General Manager of QNET Sub-Saharan Africa, Cherif Bassirou Abdoulaye Sarr, said the initiative was designed to expose young players to international coaching methods while improving both their technical and tactical understanding of the game.
"The primary objective is to expose young players to international coaching methods and help them improve their technical and tactical understanding of football," he said.
Sports development challenges
He explained that although Ghana and other African countries continue to develop sports, challenges still exist at the academy level, particularly in structured training, follow-up systems and long-term player development.
Many local academies, he noted, lacked the necessary resources, technical support and equipment needed to fully develop young footballers.
He added that initiatives such as the football clinic help bridge these gaps by bringing in professional coaches, structured training programmes and mentorship opportunities for young players.
The participants were taken through technical drills, tactical awareness sessions, physical conditioning and skill-based training throughout the four-day programme.
Beyond football techniques, the clinic also placed emphasis on discipline, teamwork, leadership, communication and perseverance – key values for both sport and life.
Increase investment
He stressed the need for stronger academy systems, continuous mentorship and increased investment in youth football to help nurture talent from the grassroots level.
All 25 participants are already affiliated with local football academies partnered with the organisers, with the programme forming part of a broader effort to support their long-term development.
The Deputy Regional General Manager stated that plans were in place to continue working with these academies through future training programmes, technical support and resource assistance to improve player development structures.
He also highlighted the inclusion of girls in the programme, describing it as a positive step for the growth of women's football in Ghana and across the continent.
