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Age-cheating is destroying Ghana football – Coach J.E Sarpong

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He said the recent spate of poor performances of our national teams stems from the fact most of the country’s players are not using their right ages to play.

According to him, the country's football governing body must ensure that all footballers used their correct ages at both local and international levels.

This, he said, would help coaches to know the weaknesses and strengths of their players and also devise means of managing them during international tournaments for their own benefit and that of the nation.

“The ages of our players should also be looked at religiously and holistically," he told Graphic Sports.

"This is because coaches will know how and when to use such players since the performance of aged players tend to slow down movement and cohesion in teams.

“Invariably, if overage teams are competing against relatively young teams, the difference is always clear. Speed, quickness, strength, agility, endurance and all key components of the game are easily complemented in game situations,” he explained.

Recently, veteran football administrator Dr. Nyaho Nyaho-Tamakloe also alleged that most of the players in the Black Galaxies team are over 35 years.

"I can say that our biggest problem is age cheating. We have been doing it for years and we are now seeing the effect. Modern football is about speed and stamina and the younger ones are those who can do that."

"75 percent of our players are definitely 35 years plus. I'm telling you and we can verify that using the MRI scan. They look even old if you look at them in the face."

"Look at the various countries who participated in the tournament, even in our game against Niger we looked older than them and it showed in the performance. Let's look at this age of cheating carefully and put a stop to it," he added in an interview with Accra-based Asempa FM.

Coach Sarpong’s comments come after the Black Galaxies at the ongoing 2022 African Nations Championship [CHAN] in Algeria.

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