Controversial sports journalist, Patrick Osei Agyemang also known as Countryman Songo is alleging that the players that represented Ghana in the UEFA under-16 tournament are beyond the age of 17.

According to Songo, the players who were selected are clients of some officials of the Ghana Football Association.

Songo also believes that the absence of Ghana’s male and female under-17 teams at their respective AFCON tournaments is a justification for one to conclude that Ghana's football is on a decline.

According to Songo, the GFA has resorted to selecting players they act as agents for hence the reason Ghana’s male U-17 team, the Black Starlets failed to qualify for the U-17 AFCON in Algeria.

The sports journalist stated that it was a result of the negligence of the GFA that led to the disqualification and ban of the Black Maidens from both CAF and FIFA tournaments.

“Your grassroots will expose you. Look at the ongoing U-17 AFCON and Ghana is not there. The women have been banned due to age cheating,” Songo stated on Adom TV.

He added, “Football is on the decline. They are not organizing the grassroots very well. The selection of players there is bad. We have talents in Ghana who can be groomed very well. We can get a better U-17 side so that they can transition to the U20s.

“The players they took to Serbia for the U-17 tournament are their own players who have beyond 17. It's all because they managed these players so they want to give them platform to sell them out.”

The Black Maidens were banned by CAF in July 2022 and will miss the next two editions of the U-17 AFCON. The team was also fined $100,000.

JNA/KPE