First Vice Chairman of the National Juvenile Committee (NJC), JoeSalam Abubakar, has underscored the critical role of grassroots football in shaping the future of Ghana football, calling on NJC members to offer unwavering support to the Ghana Football Association’s (GFA) agenda of fixing the fundamentals.
Speaking at a recent strategic meeting involving the NJC, Technical Directorate, National Teams Department, and Juvenile National Team Coaches, JoeSalam stressed that juvenile football must be seen as the foundation on which the nation’s football development rests.
“Juvenile football is the backbone of Ghana football,” he declared.
“If we do not fix it right from the base, we cannot expect miracles at the top. That is why we must all support the GFA’s vision to rebuild and strengthen our grassroots structures,” he stressed.
He urged his fellow committee members to be active ambassadors of the GFA’s developmental agenda, and to play their part in ensuring that structures for talent identification, coaching, competitions, and player transitions are firmly in place.
“This is not the time to sit on the fence. We have a clear direction from the GFA. It is our responsibility to ensure this direction is followed and that we produce quality talent through a well-structured juvenile football system,” JoeSalam added.
The meeting also explored how coaches across U15, U16, and U17 national teams could better collaborate to ensure smooth player development pathways, scout top talent effectively, and contribute to the long-term vision of national team success.
JoeSalam’s passionate remarks echo a growing consensus that revitalizing juvenile football holds the key to restoring Ghana’s footballing pride on the global stage.
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