NPP flagbearer aspirant, Hon. Kwabena Agyei Agyepong, has expressed concern over what he describes as a worrying cultural shift in Ghana’s football following years of decline in the local game.
Speaking in an interview on Opemsuo Radio with Kofi Boakye, he said it was disheartening to see many Ghanaians pledge loyalty to foreign football clubs while neglecting homegrown teams such as Asante Kotoko, Hearts of Oak, and Hasaacas — clubs that once carried the pride and identity of entire regions.
“Someone may be in Juabeng and still claim to support Aston Villa,” he lamented.
“We have made the whites sell their football to us. I am not sure you will go to Spain and hear them talk about Kotoko.”
He said this cultural change is a direct result of the deterioration of local football infrastructure and the weakening connection between clubs and their communities.
Agyepong noted that in the past, football played a key role in community life, with supporters identifying strongly with local teams.
“Football is connected to the community, so if you remove that link, it breaks down,” he explained.
“In the olden days, even on Sundays, you would be in a rush to come home and watch football,” he recalled.
“Almost every region had at least two traditional teams.”
He attributed the loss of this bond to commercialization and lack of proper management, adding that the country’s football authorities have paid too much attention to the national team at the expense of domestic leagues.
“There is a lot wrong with our local football. … The FA is placing too much effort on the Black Stars to the detriment of the local game.”
Agyepong reiterated his belief that Ghana’s football revival must start from the grassroots, with deliberate efforts to restore pride in local clubs and rekindle the passion that once defined Ghanaian football culture.
Story by Adwoa S. Danso
