Constant encouragement is key at this level – Joyce Boatey-Agyei

Winning matches and ultimately the CAF African Schools Football Championship title is important for a host nation, however unearthing and nurturing talent supersedes this by far.

These were the sentiments shared by head coach of the Ghana U-15 Girls national team on Wednesday afternoon, following their narrow 1-0 victory over Morocco on the opening day of the competition at the University of Ghana in Accra.

Ghana are first time participants at the continental finals and with the backing of an expectant crowd, Boatey-Agyei is under no illusion of the importance of doing well as tournament hosts.

While the gold medal remains the ultimate goal, the coach cautioned against putting this ahead of nurturing talent, putting a strong emphasise on the importance of guidance and encouragement of talent at this level.

“Sometimes the crowd and stage, can have a positive or negative effect on a player, depending on their personality. So, it is important that we play our role in guiding, protecting and encouraging them at this level. The talent is there, and it is unquestionable but without guidance, it will not flourish. Yes, it is important to win, and we are encouraged by this result, but equally important is the protection and nurturing our talent”, said the coach.

Reflecting on the team’s performance against a strong Morocco side, Boatey-Agyei said the slow start was as a result of a bit of nerves and that the girls had to be reminded of their capabilities, which is something that must be done on a regular basis at this level of the game.

“We reminded them of the training we took them through. We made them understand that even though they are playing against a team from a different country, they are no different to teams that have faced in our preparation and that is why sometimes the stage has an effect on their performance, which is why we need to guide them at this level of the game”, concluded the coach.

Up next for the hosts is midday tie against Benin, who are high in confidence following their positive start to the tournament after edging Malawi 1-0.

The hosts conclude their Day 2 matches with a late afternoon tie against a wounded Malawi who will be looking at boosting their chances of qualification with an upset against the hosts.