For anybody who has keenly adopted Ghana soccer through the years, it is a no-brainer that the choice to choose Richard Ofori over another goalkeeper for the disastrous 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) was not primarily based on soccer grounds.
What was extra shocking was naming him the first-choice goalkeeper regardless of knowledge displaying he was the least ready amongst Lawrence Ati Zigi and Joseph Wollacott.
Unsurprisingly, his unpardonable errors towards Mozambique at Alassane Ouattara Stadium, in Abidjan, single-handedly knocked Ghana out of the event after the Black Stars had taken a two-goal lead.
All was set for Chris Hughton’s aspect to progress earlier than that disaster of Ofori touching the ball led to the Mambas equalising with two stoppage-time objectives.
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This entire scenario might have simply been prevented. Ofori was not purported to be on the event within the first place.
Virtually two years later, Ghana is making ready for one more main event, and the person to man the put up in the event that they lastly safe qualification for the 2026 World Cup within the USA, Mexico, and Canada, stays an open race.
Ghana Black Stars
The person to make that decision this time can be none apart from skilled goalkeeper Fatau Dauda. Dauda, now 40, was in put up on the 2014 FIFA World Cup, and 12 years later can be in command of naming Ghana’s shot-stopper in the event that they qualify for a fifth Mundial.
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Making the precise name
Dauda can’t afford to make the identical mistake his predecessor did, and he understands what’s at stake. He additionally understands that being a former goalkeeper will not be sufficient to totally grasp the altering dynamics of modern-day soccer.
Talking in an exclusive interview with Taiye Taiwo for RG.org, he admitted:
Teaching is nice when you’ve got the fervour. I really like soccer, so I knew I’d stay within the cycle, particularly in goalkeeping. I want to coach the following era to fulfill the fashionable development of goalkeeping, not like how we had been skilled earlier than. The sport is all the time altering.
Fatau Dauda
Dauda continued:
There are ranges to teaching. Some coaches have zero information about coaching goalkeepers, whereas [some] of us use our previous expertise as gamers, which helps, nevertheless it’s not sufficient. It’s essential perceive methodology, sport evaluation, biomechanics, and even psychology.
Based on him, goalkeeping expertise is plentiful in Africa, albeit there’s a information hole as regards to teaching and the precise coaching strategies. Regardless of this, Dauda believes it’s only a matter of time for Africa to get it proper.
We are going to get there with the following era, I consider.
Fatau Dauda
Shaping the following era of African goalkeepers
Dauda at the moment heads the goalkeeping division at Proper to Dream Academy, and says his crew is on top of things with the altering ranges in coaching goalkeepers.
He’s quoted in the RG.org report as saying:
We now have our personal type of goalkeeping at Proper to Dream, which aligns with trendy world soccer. However throughout the continent, we want extra teaching schooling, extra sources for goalkeeper trainers, and higher deal with the bodily and psychological calls for of the place.
Fatau Dauda with Black Stars
Recreation understanding, position-specific conditioning, and anticipation abilities are areas the place many African goalkeepers lag due to how and what they’re taught.
The ex-Enyimba and Orlando Pirates goalie clearly understands what is anticipated of the fashionable goalkeeper. With this information of the sport, he can be essential in deciding who stands between the sticks for the Black Stars on the expanded FIFA World Cup in the event that they make it.
Ghanaians can’t overlook the goalkeeping division going into the final spherical of World Cup qualifiers. And regardless that Ghana currently top their group with 15 factors, qualification will not be secured but.
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The 2023 AFCON blunder can’t be repeated, and perhaps, Ghanaians can belief Dauda in choosing the right goalkeeper for the nation, void of any favouritism and non-footballing causes.
