Coach-player relationship very terrible in Ghana football - Coach J.E Sarpong

Renowned Ghanaian trainer JE Sarpong has bemoaned poor coach-player connections in Ghana football and has therefore called for a better relationship in order to develop the game.

The former Accra Hearts of Oak and Asante Kotoko coach in an interview with Sylvester Ntim of Bryt FM in Koforidua said per his personal experiences coaches in the local scene have a terrible relationship with their players both on and off the field.

He added that, coaches normally scold their players during training which he believes affect them to deliver.

“Most of the Ghana coaches treat their players like soldiers, shouting and getting them annoyed which is a very bad attitude to portray” he said.

According to him, most players due to the “needless” reprimand usually fears to open up with their coaches thinking there are hatred and dissatisfactions on them.

“The players fear to approach their coaches in terms of needs and opinions which should not be the case. They have to be opened to the players. It’s called the coach-player relationship. Lacking that will go against you” he said.

He commended Hearts of Oak trainer Samuel Boadu insisting he has a better coach-player management skill.

“A coach like Samuel Boadu did not do anything extraordinary, he isn’t so extraordinary but he built a better coach-player management in the Hearts of Oak team. He is so free with his players, he dines, dance and also showcase other positivity and that yield the good results.” He said.

“That is how a coach should behave in this country or you will have a very bad result.”

The former Medeama coach made history by leading the Phobians to clinch the Ghana Premier League for the first time in 11-years.

The last time Hearts of Oak won the domestic top-flight was in 2009 under Kosta Papic.

Meanwhile, coach Sarpong has said former Hearts of Oak trainer Edward Nii Odoom deserves the plaudits for the club's Ghana Premier League success.