By Michael Foli Jackidy/Caleb Keleke, GNA
Ho (V/R), Aug. 13, GNA – The Volta Regional Coordinating Council, in collaboration with the Volta Regional Football Association (RFA) and Meelost Space, is set to use the newly branded Volta Cup to identify and develop promising young football talents for international exposure.
Mr James Gunu, the Volta Regional Minister, said the competition, previously known as the Regional Ministers’ Cup, had been renamed the Volta Cup to give it a permanent identity that transcended changes in political and administrative leadership.
He said while Regional Ministers would come and go, the Volta Region would remain, making the new name more appropriate for an annual competition designed to contribute to the development of football in the region.
Mr Gunu made the disclosure during an engagement with the media and officials of the RFA in Ho ahead of the competition.
He said the primary objective of the tournament was to identify, groom and expose young footballers with the potential to compete at the national and international levels.
“Football is not only the passion of the nation and the region; it is not only a profession. Football has become a business, and we believe that if we are able to groom young talents who will play international football, they will become breadwinners for their families and transform their communities, the region and the country,” he said.
Mr Gunu said unlike last year’s edition, which was contested by senior players, the organisers had reduced the age limit to Under-19 to make the competition more relevant to talent development and international scouting.
He disclosed that outstanding players identified during the competition would have the opportunity to travel to Portugal in November for trial matches as part of efforts to expose them to international football opportunities.
He said the organisers would closely monitor the players throughout the programme, with the hope that some of them would secure professional opportunities abroad or eventually earn places in the national senior team, the Black Stars.
Mr Gunu said the long-term vision was to produce players from the Volta Cup who could represent Ghana at major international competitions, including the FIFA World Cup.
“We want results. Football must bring results, and the result we are looking at is a transformational result where people will come out of this game and be able to transform the lives of their families, communities, the entire region and Ghana as a whole,” he said.
Mr Daniel Agbogah, Chairman of the Volta RFA, said the organisers had taken time to develop a programme that would provide lasting benefits to participants and create a sustainable legacy for football development in the region.
He said the inaugural edition of the new Volta Cup would serve as a test case, with improvements expected to be made as the programme progressed.
Mr Agbogah said the immediate focus would be the selection of a strong Volta Under-19 team to participate in the national Under-19 tournament, describing the exercise as an important opportunity to assess the region’s young talents.
He said more than 80 players had already been selected from various zones based on their performances during the regional league.
The region had been divided into eight zones, with eight teams expected to participate in the competition on a knockout basis.
He said players who distinguished themselves during the tournament would be selected for the regional Under-19 team and subsequently participate in the national Under-19 Elite Championship.
“We really want to win that tournament too before November comes, and then we will take the team to Portugal with the support of the Minister and his partners on board,” he said.
Mr Agbogah expressed optimism that the collaboration between the Regional Coordinating Council and the RFA would create a structured pathway for young footballers in the region to progress from community football to the professional and international stages.
The Competition is set to come off on Saturday August 15 at the Ho Sports Stadium.
GNA
Edited by Maxwell Awumah/Benjamin Mensah