Adepa wants history

The young scout turned coach, who shot out of obscurity to win the Ghana Premier League in his first ever attempt at the top flight, said he does not understand why black coaches are not given opportunities to helm clubs at the top level, and that he aims to be the change.

“I’m the type who always loves challenges,” the coach told Pulse Sports in an interview. “I love to deliver, and if no one has been able to do so, I’m going to do something about it. Believe you me.”

On why black coaches seem to struggle to blaze the trail when given high profile roles, Adepa opined that they are often set up to fail by the structures that employ them.

“If a black coach under performs, it’s not necessarily that he’s not good. It’s just that you might not know what’s happening in the background,” he said.

Adepa galvanized a young, spirited team to the Ghana Premier League title last month, finishing two points ahead of close challengers and 2010 champions Aduana Stars. It was the Wa-based club's first ever league title, coming 10 years after they made their entry into the top flight. This feat also meant that the club, owned by Ghana Football Association President Kwesi Nyantakyi, became the first outfit from Northern Ghana to become national champions in the league’s 58-year-history. “It was my first big platform in coaching and so I knew people would definitely doubt my intelligence or performance,” he said. “But it was my positive preparation and effort that landed the title."

The coach said he has drawn inspiration from some senior colleagues, chief among them two-time Ghana Premier League winner Mas-Ud Didi Dramani and former Ghana F.A President Ben Koufie.

“When it comes to the disciplinary aspect of coaching, I’ve always looked up to Didi Dramani,” he confessed. “But when it comes to who motivated me to strive towards becoming a learned coach, it is – and may his soul rest in peace - Uncle Ben Koufie. I learnt a lot from the man.”

Unlike most other Ghanaian coaches, the fast rising Adepa, a relative newbie with only six years’ experience within football, says his highest level of aspiration is not to coach the Black Stars.

“To coach the national team isn’t the end of it,” he explained. “I love imparting knowledge, and so for me it’s about getting to the top and imparting knowledge – either as a CAF or FIFA instructor. That is where I want to be. Football is not all about coaching, but about teaching as well. And so how to get there is what I’m working towards through coaching.”

Adepa will be in charge of the Blues as they make their debut foray into continental club competition next season, with a place in the preliminary stage of the CAF Champions League as Ghana's representatives.

Adepa was speaking at the Alisa Hotel, where he was a participant at a well-attended workshop for Ghana Premier League coaches, organized by bookies giants Betway in collaboration with English club West Ham.