FEATURE: Three Ghanaian Coaches Who Ought to Be Protected for the Future of Coaching in Ghana

The current state of football management and style in Ghana leaves much to be desired. While some may argue that certain enigmatic coaches are not getting the spotlight they deserve, I would simply say that the lack of direction and objectives among most clubs is the primary reason for young coaches not thriving.

To develop, one must stay in the game and learn. To achieve, one must be given protection and time. Unfortunately, these principles are often disregarded in Ghana.

As a Sports Journalist covering Ghana’s top-flight football, I’ve seen many promising coaches disappear within a short period, especially the new ones, and this baffles me. Whether observing from afar or up close, one can recognize brilliance in their technical craft, yet they are not given the time or patience they need by their employers (the clubs).

I’ve taken a close look at coaches like Ignatius Osei-Fosu, Michael Osei, and Bismark Kobi-Mensah, who are gradually being sidelined due to a lack of preparatory grounds, club identity, and other factors in Ghana.

One cannot separate these three words from football: Coaching, Development, and Mentoring.

Coaching is a process that enables learning and development to occur, which in turn improves performance. To be a successful coach requires knowledge and understanding of the process, as well as the variety of styles, skills, and techniques that are appropriate to the context in which coaching takes place.

Coaching and Mentoring are practical techniques for developing learning and performance.

With this understanding in mind, no one can disagree that Michael Osei, Ignatius Osei-Fosu, and Bismark Kobi-Mensah represent the present and future of coaching in Ghana.

Several clubs in Ghana continue to hire the old gurus to manage their teams, believing that experience is paramount, while failing to recognize the importance of identifying the type of football club they are. Instead, they focus solely on winning the league or avoiding relegation.

Using Ghana Premier League side Accra Lions FC as a case study, let's critically examine their approach. The capital-based club secured qualification to the Ghana Premier League in the 2020/21 season and has spent three seasons in the top flight, finishing 12th in their first season, 15th in the 2022/23 season, and second in the 2023/24 season.

Accra Lions FC is a talent-developing club and is now the best in the top flight when it comes to player sales or exports in the Ghanaian first tier.

Since making their debut in the top flight, the club has yet to change their head coach or technical director. This is an example of good club management—sticking with a particular project and giving the coach time.

Medeama SC followed a similar path from 2015 until 2022, when they shifted their focus from maintaining a coach for a specific project to hiring a gaffer capable of winning the league title. Most clubs in Ghana focus on results (the three points) but lack a clear football or coaching identity.

Currently, English club Manchester City is the most admired football club in Europe due to their style of football, oriented by Spanish manager Pep Guardiola. Guardiola's story began in Spain with FC Barcelona in 2008 when he was just 37 years old. He was given time and confidence, which led to him winning 14 titles during his spell at the club. The rest of his career with Bayern Munich and his current tenure at Manchester City need no further mention.

What am I saying? Guardiola was considered the present and future of football coaching, and indeed, here he is—most clubs aspire to play just like his teams.

Roberto De Zerbi, an Italian manager who started his journey with Palermo, then moved to Benevento and Sassuolo FC before becoming the manager of English club Brighton & Hove Albion, was 37 when his coaching career began, yet he flourished wherever he went. The reason was time and confidence in the project that these clubs had for him.

The same can be said for Wolverhampton boss Gary O'Neil (41 years), Edin Terzić (41 years), and current Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler (31 years), the youngest manager appointed to a permanent post in the Premier League. All these clubs believe in time and trust in their structures, but in Ghana, the opposite is true, and it is costing the country dearly at all national team levels.

Structures, projects, and a particular football style are not established for clubs, not even for the national teams. Instead, they are undermining the promising coaches with the abilities to change the current situation by eliminating them, either through unfair means or by citing poor performance.

Michael Osei, Ignatius Osei-Fosu, and Bismark Kobi-Mensah, in my analysis, are national assets, and the country's football governing body needs to protect them for the betterment of Ghana—not out of selfishness. At Dreams FC, one young manager, Winfred Dormon, needs to be given an opportunity, but it’s always the same story: expatriates are appointed as bosses over him, and recently, Abdul Karim Zito was taken from his role as Technical Director of Still Believe and reappointed as Dreams FC boss.

How do you expect the young ones to grow?

Michael Osei

After transitioning from coaching in Germany to Ghana in 2011, the former Ghana international became known for blending young players with experienced ones to achieve his club’s targets. After leaving Frankfurt in Germany, the 52-year-old tactician landed a job with Ghana's lower-tier side New Edubiase United FC. He made a name for himself after spending two seasons with the former Premier League club, showcasing his coaching IQ and style.

The foundation he built by leading New Edubiase United to two top-four finishes secured him an assistant coaching role at Ghana's most successful club, Asante Kotoko SC, under Mas-Ud Didi Dramani.

Osei, whose playing career was admired after representing Ghana across all national team levels, from the U-17 to the senior national men’s team (Black Stars), seized the opportunity at Asante Kotoko SC.

Seizing the opportunity, the entire football fraternity came to admire Michael Osei for his ability to read the game, utilize available resources effectively, and make necessary changes. This became evident to Asante Kotoko SC supporters when he guided them to win four titles, Premier League, MTN FA Cup, Super Cup and President Cup during his three-year stay at the Kumasi-based club.

His possession-based yet quick attacking style is highly admired by football fans, especially during his stints with Star Madrid FC, Liberty Professionals FC, and Bibiani GoldStars SC. Ghanaian football legend and Accra Hearts of Oak SC great Mohammed Polo ("The Dribbling Magician") speaks highly of his tactics and dedication to football.

Veteran coach J.E. Sarpong also acknowledges Michael Osei for his coaching ethics.

Twice appointed as the Black Meteors' assistant coach, Osei's coaching methods and tactics speak volumes, but where is he now? The former Asante Kotoko player has left Ghana to continue his coaching career in Germany, where he believes he will be given the time and confidence to succeed. He is a gaffer who prefers operating in a 4-1-2-3 formation with many variation to dominate play.

During his two-and-a-half seasons with GoldStars, he ensured their survival in the Ghanaian top flight in their maiden season (9th position), followed by a fifth-place finish in the second season. He left mid-season in 2023/24 after a mutual agreement with the club. With his vast experience as a footballer and now as a manager, many consider Michael Osei among the list of Ghanaian coaches that the Ghana Football Association (GFA) should protect for national team jobs, as he is highly regarded for his reputation and coaching discipline.

He is undoubtedly part of the present and future of coaching in Ghana.

Ignatius Osei-Fosu

With 12 years of coaching experience, the 38-year-old Ignatius Osei-Fosu has managed five Premier League teams, including Techiman Eleven Wonders, Medeama SC, Liberty Professionals, Dreams FC, and King Faisal. Having started as a Personal Assistant to veteran coach Mas-Ud Didi Dramani at Asante Kotoko SC from 2012-2015, Ignatius has made football coaching the pinnacle of his life.

He became a household name after earning his Coaching License 'A' in 2016 and taking up a job in the capital with Liberty Professionals, later managing the Somalia U-17 male team.

Guiding Eleven Wonders FC and Dreams FC away from relegation during his stints with both clubs has given many reasons to protect Ignatius Osei-Fosu for the game since the future of coaching in Ghana appears uncertain. His tactical approach and style of play also speak highly of his coaching credentials.

Having the privilege of being shortlisted among four local coaches selected to study at the Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup highlights his knowledge of the game both on and off the field.

However, the system in Ghana has hampered the growth of young and new coaches, including Ignatius. For instance, hiring a manager three weeks before the start of the season only to sack him after four league matches for poor performance is both surprising and disheartening.

As a former staff coach at Right To Dream Academy from 2015-2017, Ignatius Osei-Fosu prefers possession-based, progressive, and quick attacking football, depending on the available resources. He also admires counter-pressing as a defensive strategy.

His work has proven to be eye-catching, but due to insufficient time granted by clubs, his rapid rise seems stagnant. Having learned from one of Ghana's most respected tacticians, Didi Dramani.

*Bismarck Kobi-Mensah*

A young coach who realized his coaching dream at just 22 years old, Bismarck Kobi-Mensah wasted no time pursuing it. Since this passion and dream became his life, he has been a football manager for 17 years, managing several clubs including FC Samartex 1996, Sekondi Hasaacas FC, Bechem United FC, Karela United FC, Nzema Kotoko, Wassaaman FC, and Accra Great Olympics – two-time Ghana Premier League winners.

The 40-year-old had a success story with Hasaacas FC in 2017 but became a household name when he joined Karela United FC. He ensured their stay in the Ghanaian top flight for three consecutive seasons after their debut in 2019.

His ability to sustain a young and new squad for three competitive seasons in the Ghanaian league left many wondering and keen to monitor his methods. For a manager to achieve this feat with limited funding and persistent issues of player wages each week is noteworthy. Kobi-Mensah's tactical variation and game management attracted several Ghanaian coaches to his bench.

His consistent attacking formation and approach to every game caught the eye of experienced Ghanaian coach Annor Walker, leading to his national team appointment with the Black Galaxies. Twice linked to Ghanaian giants Accra Hearts of Oak SC as a manager, Kobi-Mensah's coaching acumen and brilliance are evident. Research on Bismarck Kobi-Mensah reveals how he spends every second focused on his game, carefully planning each detail.

It’s worth noting that not all coaches spend as much time on how their teams should play, but Kobi-Mensah introduced his philosophy to the Ghana Premier League through the playing style of Karela United FC, Great Olympics, and Bechem United FC.

A coach who prefers the 4-2-3-1 formation, he dedicates time to understanding his players' strengths, the team's style of play, the opponent's strengths, the nature of the field (whether home or away), and the game atmosphere, all of which highlight his high coaching IQ.

As such, the Ghana Football Association (GFA) should do more to retain these types of managers in the game by giving them national team assignments.

FINDINGS

During my research on why the aforementioned coaches are not in the limelight or taking over coaching in Ghana, I realized that officials or referees play a major part in this. The officials often end up deciding the outcome of matches, thereby undermining the efforts of the coaches.

Club administrators and owners place too much emphasis on who handles the game rather than who handles the team, prioritizing three points over developing talent and nurturing the game.

Poor infrastructure and a lack of conducive environments are some of the factors driving these coaches away from their passion.

A lack of belief by club managements in what they have not yet seen – namely, time and opportunity for new coaches in the system – is not considered.

New coaches often bring the same style they used at smaller clubs to big clubs, forgetting that it’s a different stage with different players, and this ends up denying them further opportunities.

Story by Kolog Bonaventure