"Leave the Black Stars Alone and Focus on Juvenile Football": Boateng tells GFA

• Derek Boateng wants the Ghana Football Association to focus on youth football
• The former Ghana midfielder believes that will improve the national team
• Ghana has not qualified for any youth competition since 2021

Former Black Stars midfielder, Derek Boateng has advised the Ghana Football Association to turn their attention to juvenile football.

The current administration led by Kurt Okraku have been criticized for paying more attention to the senior national team than youth football.

Boateng, a product of juvenile football in the late nineties, went on to play for Ghana at all levels and believes youth football needs more attention from the FA.

“For me, it’s about time that the FA focused [on juvenile football] and left Black Stars alone. Let the Black Stars be and focus on grassroots football…” he said on Joy FM, as quoted by GHANASoccernet.

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“When you go to the U17 and the kid is not doing well, you have a lot to talk to him about. You can advise him and bring him back to the game. You will have words of encouragement for him. Where is the care when it comes to grassroots football?

“There is nothing and they should say ‘We are bringing colts back and we will make our junior national teams good.”

Meanwhile, under the current regime, Ghana won the U20 Africa Cup of Nations in 2021.

Boateng opens up on meeting with Maradona

Earlier, Sports Brief reported that Retired Ghanaian footballer, Derek Boateng, has described his first meeting with 1986 World Cup winner Diego Maradona as breathtaking.

Boateng could not believe his sights when he first met the late football legend, as he stayed speechless for hours just to get a hug from Maradona.

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Narrating the moment to Ghanaian journalist Dan Kwaku Yeboah, Boateng struggled to find words to explain his feelings at that time.

Boateng welcomes AFCON trophy

Former Ghana internationals, Stephen Appiah and Derek Boateng were present as the AFCON trophy arrived in Ghana for a two day tour.

The Total AFCON trophy will make it way through most of the Total Stations as part of activities to raise awareness of the competition next year.

In photos posted on Twitter, sighted by YEN.com.gh, Stephen Appiah, an ambassador of Total Energies and former teammate Derek Boateng were on sight to receive the trophy.