Sports
Senegal, is now an intimidating name dangling deliciously on the lips of followers of African football.
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Senegal Under-17 team celebrating their AFCON feat recently
Years back, the name of the West African nation only evokes memories of failure and ill-luck.
Today, the Terranga Lions are not the near-team they used to be known. They are now a formidably fearful side, roaring to devour everything on sight.
Years of painful, elaborate planning and investment has catapulted them from near doldrums to massive prominence – resulting in the breaking of records like a pack of cards.
Only last week, the Senegalese Under-17 side – the Teranga Cubs ‘devoured’ all on their way to clinching their first 2023 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) Under-17 Cup in Algeria. The team did not concede until the semi-final. Remarkably, the Cubs were also a free-scoring crop of players with cumulative 15 goals throughout the tourney.
Amara Diouf won the golden boot, while teammate Serigne Diouf was named the best goalkeeper.
Prior to this spangling feat, the Senegalese had broken their Nations Cup bugaboo in 2022 – upstaging Egypt on penalties.
A few months later, Senegal became champions of the 2022 Africa Beach Soccer Cup of Nations. It was the country’s fourth straight triumph in the competition and its seventh overall.
Senegal dominated all their opposition, crushing Uganda 10-1 in the group’s opening game before banging home another eight past Madagascar on their way to glory.
This year also opened up its dazzling smiles at Senegal as they snatched their first-ever CHAN trophy — a competition for home-based players across Africa, defeating the host Algeria 6-5 on penalties.
In March, two months ago, Senegal added another maiden trophy to its cubby-hole – winning the 2023 Under-20 African Cup of Nations in Egypt. Gorgeously, they achieved the feat without conceding a single goal. The Senegalese also swaggered away with the individual awards for the competition, with the golden boot, ball and glove going to their players.
Indeed, no African country has held all these trophies in the same period. The waves of achievement confirm Senegal as the new hegemony of African football.
Do not forget that they are the first nation to win all three major CAF continental titles! What an achievement!
In an interview with FIFA recently, head coach of Senegal’s senior national team, Aliou Cisse, divulged the secret behind the success of the nation’s football revolution.
“If you look at the number of foreign coaches at the 2019 AFCON compared to the 2022 AFCON, you notice that the number of home-grown coaches increased.
“It means that we have been training technicians and skilled technicians. Now, I think it is important to keep going further in terms of enhancing our techniques and abilities and strengthening our technical departments.”
From the beaming winning coaches of the likes of Pope Thiaw (CHAN), Mamadou Diallo (Beach Soccer) and Malick Daf (Under-20) to Serigne Dia (Under-17), Senegal have definitely demonstrated to the whole world their patience and resolve in investment, and building a tremendous force of technical brains.
With time, we should also be thinking about the ‘Africanisation’ of our coaches. We have a bundle of talents to take over the game, but that would mean investing in their development to put them at the pinnacle so they can also rub shoulders with the crème de la crème.
Certainly, success at this endeavour would not come in a day. It would take a while, but we need to get the ball rolling now – and do it conscientiously.
Somewhere last year, coaches Yusif Basigi and Baba Nuhu were sponsored by the Ghana Football Association (GFA) to Germany for a technical attachment with Bundesliga side TSG Hoffenheim.
The move was part of the Technical Directorate’s efforts to strengthen Ghanaian coaches and help them adapt to modern football trends. That is great!
The GFA has brokered a deal with three European clubs, namely Borussia Dortmund, Darmstadt FC and TSG Hoffeinheim for attachment opportunities for Ghanaian coaches.
We are told this followed deep engagements between Technical Director Bernhard Lippert and the three German clubs in the last few months.
The deal is expected to give national team coaches (male and female) as well as top coaches in the top-tier Leagues the opportunity to have practical stints with these clubs at different time intervals to broaden their horizon and to equip them with the modern trends of the game.
For now, let us gild the lily of the Senegalese – but more importantly, borrow a page from their book – and do it even better.
By John Vigah
In a resolve to build clearer pathway for athletes, the President of the Ghana Taekwondo Federation (GTF), Mr Frederick Lartey Otu, has indicated the new executive’s commitment to strengthen collaboration with major stakeholders in the development and promotion of the sport.
According to him, it would be difficult to achieve its set targets set for the new elected term without a good working relations with such collaborators.
Mr Otu said this when he addressed participants at the closing ceremony of the 16th edition of the Korean Ambassador’s Cup Taekwondo Championship held last Saturday at the Borteyman Sports Complex.
The event saw the Greater Accra Region’s dominance as they amassed a total of 26 medals consisting of 10 gold, eight silver and eight bronze medals.
The Upper East Region followed in second position with a gold, silver and six bronze medals and Western Region in third after annexing a gold and silver medals.
According to him, the new executive will continue to strengthen collaboration with the Ministry of Sports and Recreation (MoSR), National Sports Authority (NSA), Ghana Olympic Committee (GOC), the Korean Embassy in Accra, corporate organisations as well as educational institutions and Regional Associations.
“Our recent engagements with key stakeholders have reinforced our belief that there is a willingness to support Ghana Taekwondo when we present clear programmes, demonstrate accountability and work collaboratively,” he stated.
Consequently, he assured of the executive board’s commitment to good governance, transparency, accountability, teamwork and respect for all stakeholders.
“We’ll listen to our regions, clubs, coaches, athletes, officials and members of the Taekwondo family. We’ll continue to improve our administrative systems, documentation, communication, financial planning and programme coordination,” he added.
Mr Otu noted that the board was committed to building a sustainable Taekwondo development system that produces athletes, coaches, referees and administrators capable of representing Ghana with pride.
He said starting this month, the GTF will roll out its first major initiative – the Regional Taekwondo Awareness Campaign, to be launched in the Ashanti Region.
The campaign is designed to take Taekwondo directly to the schools and communities, particularly areas where sporting opportunities are limited.
“Our immediate target is to begin with at least five deprived regions — Northern Region, Upper West Region, Bono Region, Central Region and Ashanti Region — and identify young people with the potential to become future Taekwondo athletes,” he emphasised.
Mr Otu expressed gratitude to the Korean embassy for its continuous support for the championship which he said had given Ghanaian athletes the opportunity to compete, gain valuable experience, test themselves against quality opposition and develop the confidence necessary to progress to higher levels of competition.
At the end of the competition, the embassy presented a number of Taekwondo attires to the GTF to boost the sport’s promotion in Ghana.
By Andrew Nortey
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CAF 2nd Vice President and President of the Ghana Football Association, Kurt Edwin Simeon-Okraku, has visited the Black Princesses in Poland ahead of their opening game at the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup.
The GFA President, who watched the team’s training session, assured the players of the Association’s full support and backed them to make history by qualifying from the group stage for the first time.
“A few days ago, I was in a chat with the head coach and I promised that I was going to join him for what I think is the most important game for us, which is the first game,” President Simeon-Okraku told the team.
“For me, the first game is the most important, because if we start well, chances are that we will do well. History tells us that this team has always been here. We’ve always been at this tournament for seven consecutive times. My inner faith is telling me that we have enough quality here to qualify from this group.”
He praised the players for their sacrifice and patience throughout preparations, saying their investment would be repaid on the pitch.
“You have been patient and gone through the troubles and the hassles. And you are here today. I believe that these sacrifices you have made, these investments you have made, will be repaid,” he said.
The GFA President stressed that Ghana has the quality to overcome their group opponents.
“We are faced by three opponents — Ecuador, Korea Republic and France. These three nations, believe me, are no better than us. We have enough quality in this team to win games in this group and to make it to the second round of the competition.”
“This tournament is played every two years, so after 14 years, this is the 16th year now — this group must be the one that makes it out of the group to the knockout stage. And this must happen.”
“I think the team is ready. The technical team have done a good job. The players have conducted themselves well. We will continue to support you to ensure you get the best to be able to compete at this level.”
He also charged the final squad to make those who missed out proud.
“A few of you were here but didn’t make the squad and had to leave. This is that moment that you have to make them proud.”
President Simeon-Okraku was accompanied to the training ground by Chief of Staff at the GFA, Michael Osekre, and President of Dreams FC, Jiji Alifoe.
Ghana will open their campaign against Ecuador on September 6, 2026, before facing Korea Republic and France in their other group matches.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
