Charles Taylor explains the reasons why Ghanaian clubs cannot compete in the Club World Cup
Former Asante Kotoko and Hearts of Oak star Charles Taylor believes the current state of Ghanaian clubs lacks the quality needed to compete at the highest level, such as winning the CAF Champions League and qualifying for the Club World Cup.
Hearts of Oak were the last Ghanaian club to win the CAF Champions League in 2000. Since then, no other team from Ghana has qualified for the final. The last time a Ghanaian club made it to the group stage of the competition was Berekum Chelsea in 2012.
North African teams have dominated the CAF Champions League, with Morocco’s Wydad AC and Egypt’s Al Ahly earning the right to represent Africa at the 2022 World Cup. Al Ahly will now compete in the third-place playoff against Brazil’s Flamengo.
“Our league lacks quality, some players now play for Kotoko and Hearts but they don’t deserve it,” Taylor said on Kumasi-based Akoma FM.
“But you can’t blame them, some players are recruited from Division 2 and go straight into the starting eleven, and after a season or two, those players leave the country.”
“How can you win in Africa with only players who play less than a season and are transferred? We need thirty years or more before we can win.
“Just look at how Al Ahly are playing. When was the last time our club bought a player outside of Ghana who has a running contract? We always want free players when our competitors are busy recruiting the best players.
According to Taylor, the constant selling of the league’s best talent to foreign clubs is hindering progress and preventing Ghanaian teams from competing at the highest level.
The former star emphasized the need to retain the best players and invest in the league to ensure that the Ghanaian team can compete with the best in Africa and beyond.
“If we don’t stop these free-agent players, we can’t match them,” he said.
“God will not allow us to win or draw against him. You don’t sell quality and still expect results.
“It will be difficult if not impossible to see Club Ghana win the CAF championship league or play in the Club World Cup.”
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