Africa Sports

Why many Ghanaian coaches like oil and toilet

Former Asante Kotoko coach, Isaac Opeele Boateng, has admitted that some coaches in Africa and for that matter, Ghana don’t believe in football tactics.

According to the CAF license ‘A’ holder, pastors, soothsayers and Malams take centre stage during football matches.

“I coached a team in Ghana here; we rubbed different kinds of oil and even toilet on our bodies. All were directions by pastors. All these are the reasons why Oduro Nyarko told me to stop coaching, and I stopped.

“You will be rubbing these things on your body and by the time you are 50 or 60 years, it has destroyed your life.

“The pastors were bringing different kinds of oil, some were pink, red etc. and we applied all of them and won 1-0 in Accra.

“They told us that only one goal will be scored and it came to pass; so with this, how can we believe in tactics?” he questioned.

If there’s one thing that has permeated football debates since the birth of the sport, it is the validity and effectiveness of tactics and one formation over another.

While elsewhere coaches like Jose Mourinho, Pep Guardiola among others have proved to the world that tactics is essential in association football, those in Ghana and other parts of Africa think otherwise.

Many coaches in Ghana prefer spiritual consultation and juju as far as football is concerned.

This, according to Mr Boateng, is the reason why he is no more into coaching.

“There are some coaches who only believe in preparing and praying on Sundays before games; neglecting tactics,” he revealed.

“Until the coaches become scientifically minded to know how to block or position players on the pitch, it will be difficult to embrace the idea of tactics; but there is no time for this in Ghana,” he said.

 

Source: adomonline.com

Ogyem Solomon

Solomon Ogyem – Media Entrepreneur | Journalist | Brand Ambassador Solomon Ogyem is a dynamic Ghanaian journalist and media entrepreneur currently based in South Africa. With a solid foundation in journalism, Solomon is a graduate of the OTEC School of Journalism and Communication Studies in Ghana and Oxbridge Academy in South Africa. He began his career as a reporter at OTEC 102.9 MHz in Kumasi, where he honed his skills in news reporting, community storytelling, and radio broadcasting. His passion for storytelling and dedication to the media industry led him to establish Press MltiMedia Company in South Africa—a growing platform committed to authentic African narratives and multimedia journalism. Solomon is the founder and owner of Thepressradio.com, a news portal focused on delivering credible, timely, and engaging stories across Ghana and Africa. He also owns Press Global Tickets, a service-driven venture in the travel and logistics space, providing reliable ticketing services. In addition to his media ventures, Solomon serves as a Brand Ambassador for Alabuga, a prominent Russian industrial company, representing their interests and expansion across Africa. He previously owned two notable websites—Ghanaweb.mobi and ShowbizAfrica.net—both of which contributed to entertainment and socio-political discussions within Ghana’s digital space. With a diverse background in media, digital journalism, and business, Solomon Ogyem is dedicated to telling impactful African stories, empowering youth through media, and building cross-continental media partnerships.

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