So England has Brazil. Ghana?

"Part of his role will be to ensure that England do not lose potential international players to other countries, when they might have dual-nationality; to highlight them as future England players ahead of any rivals," The Athletic reported on Monday, along with a responsibility to "identify potential future international players at all age groups, right up to the senior side, under manager Gareth Southgate".

You'd think that, having one of the most high-profile and attractive national teams in the world, England could simply will any player into their laps, but the FA apparently doesn't think such a divine right exists — even for them.

England have, of course, claimed more than their fair share of players eligible to have represented other countries over the years, but some recent episodes have left them on the losing end and rather red-faced.

Particularly jarring was the case of Bayern Munich youngster Jamal Musiala, who played almost exclusively for England at youth level before deciding in 2021 that he'd be better off representing Germany — his country of birth and England's great rivals — as a senior international.

There have also been a handful of players — the likes of Michail Antonio and Demarai Gray — who have chosen Jamaica, a nation that England has taken a fair few prospects off and could reasonably expect to have a few more dual-nationality battles with.

You could throw in, too, if you want, the loss of Yorkshire-born Erling Haaland to Norway, when the Manchester City man is very much the sort of player England could have wished to have as competition for and, ultimately, successor to Harry Kane.

Brazil, whose work with Forest's academy in the last three years has been a huge success — the highlight of which was reaching the FA Youth Cup final in 2022, lost to an Alejandro Garnacho-inspired Manchester United — is blessed with a keen technical eye, which the FA expects to impact scouting in the England setup.

His brief, though, would primarily be about persuading the most promising youth with multiple nationality options to choose England and stick with it even as they move up the ranks; to beat the traffic, in other words, and stay well ahead.

It's a model most, if not all, national football associations/federations around the world would do well to adopt — and that, needless to say, includes Ghana, a country far more accustomed to being spurned than England and Co. are.

The West African nation rarely appeals to eligible foreign-born/bred players if there isn't a World Cup around the corner they've qualified for. But even that wasn't enough last year, ahead of Qatar 2022, to turn the heads of players like England-born attackers Callum Hudson-Odoi and Edward Nketiah, although current Ghana head coach Chris Hughton insists he hasn't given up on successfully wooing either/both.

Should those efforts eventually come to naught, it would trigger a familiar sinking feeling for Ghanaians, even if it hurts a little less with each rejection.

The list of players around the world who have turned down the chance to play for Ghana is a pretty long one, but it's often the case of the Ghana Football Association (GFA) not approaching these guys early enough or properly enough — or both, in the case of Canadian star Alphonso Davies.

"Ghana never reached out," Davies, born in Ghana to a Liberian family that relocated to North America when he was only five, revealed on a podcast earlier this year when explaining why ne never seriously considered the Black Stars.

Not until they saw Davies' name in the lights, that is.

"When the news came out that I was going to Bayern, then I got a message from the Ghana federation," he recounted.

“I think it was someone from the federation who texted me on Instagram because he didn’t have my number or email but it was too late. At that time, I already got my citizenship and made it to Canada.”

And just like that, another one slipped through Ghana's fingers.

Clearly, efforts must be more intentional and well-thought-out if Ghana's success rate in player recruitment is to improve. Many may have already been lost, but there are still more to be found with a little more proactiveness on the part of the GFA.

This summer has seen a lot of talk about potential Ghana internationals on the verge of breaking through in the Premier League.

Kobbie Mainoo, until his ankle injury in Manchester United's pre-season game against Real Madrid last week, was building quite a solid case for being a regular presence in Erik ten Hag's midfield next season, stepping up from the largely peripheral role he had last term when he got promoted from the youth side. Upon recovery, he is expected to pick up right where he left off, such is his ability.

Another talent from England's North-West seemingly set for a big 2023/24 is Jarell Quansah, who has featured for Liverpool in every pre-season fixture.

Following a decent stint on loan with Bristol Rovers and a solid shift for England at the Fifa U-20 World Cup, Quansah particularly caught the eye for a brilliant block in last Sunday's win over Leicester City. With the Reds requiring reinforcement at the heart of defence (also at right-back, where Quansah, though a centre-back by trade, fits too) and simultaneously needing to fill homegrown player slots, he could be offered some premium minutes by Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp.

Then you also have Crystal Palace starlet Jesurun Rak-Sakyi who, returning from a hugely successful loan spell at Charlton Athletic, appears poised to take advantage of the slot in his parent club Crystal Palace's attack opened up by the departure of Wilfried Zaha to Galatasaray. Another target Rak-Sakyi — who, by the way, has a brother, Samuel, two years younger, just across town at Chelsea — has in his sights, per The Athletic, is a career with Ghana.

To keep the likes of Rak-Sakyi hooked, while luring and reeling in those who probably haven't yet made up their minds, Ghana would need their own Brazil.

It is, really, the only way to beat the traffic.

By: Enn Y. Frimpong