The Upper East Region can be said to be one region that lacks the most in terms of football infrastructure.
As I write this piece, apart from the Paga Town Park which is the only green pitch which is owned by Paga Crocodile Stars and was constructed ahead of their 2017/18 Division One league campaign, the entire region cannot boost of any standardized football pitch and that led to Bolga All Stars playing their 2016/17 Ghana Premier League matches in Tamale which eventually saw them relegated with three matches to end the season.
Yes, though the region is lagging behind in terms of football infrastructure, it can boast of many good football coaches who have all done very well to grow and promote the game in the region.
Salifu ‘’Kiyoyo’’ Fatawu, is one of such selfless coaches who has dedicated his time to developing football talents right from the grassroots level in the region. He is a household name in the Upper East Region.
Kiyoyo as he is popularly known in the region, is a true grassroots football developer as his handiwork is out there for all to see.
He was the coach of the FC Tanga team that produced one of the most exciting football in the 2015/16 national division one league in zone one. His team was simply unbeatable especially at home as his side beat all but Guan United at home that season.
He is a coach who believes that every player can be a great depending on the methodology of training by the coach and the player’s own readiness to learn.
In football development, the most difficult task is raising players from the grassroots and coach Kiyoyo is a specialist at this as he has produced players from that level and nurtured them to national stars over the years.
Notable among them are former Ghana U20 player David Atanga who now plays professional football with Bundesliga 2 side Holstein Kiel, Eric Warden of Albanian Topflight side KF Luftetari, USA based Akampeke George and the 2019 Rexona Champion Adombila Shadrack, who recently joined Ghana Premier League side, Liberty Professionals.
Over the years, he has taught football clinics in schools especially during sports competitions and has also managed some school teams during sports competitions. The Bolgatanga Technical University and the Bolga Senior High School (BIGBOSS) are some of the schools he’s handled by being a football aficionado.
He has also managed some division one clubs including Bolga Juventus, NO Weapon FC and is currently the coach of Swedru based side ALL Blacks.
He has his own club called Tanga Sporting Club which have both male and female teams.
This is a man who has served and continues to serve Upper East football to the best of his ability.
He is one of the few CAF License A holders in the Upper East Region and I am glad that he has been appointed as the second assistant coach of our national under 20 side, the Black Satellites where he would be working with one of the most experienced coaches in Ghana, Karim Zito.
I have no doubts that he will help Coach Zito and Evans Adotey to make our satellites team a formidable one which can conquer Africa and the world at large just like we saw in 2009.
I want to commend the Ghana Football Association Executive Council led by Kurt Okraku for seeing the coaching abilities of Fatawu and appointing him and I am of the fervent hope that he will not disappoint Ghanaians.
I also want to urge all people in the Upper East Region to support Kiyoyo and the entire team as the success of the U20 team will also be a success for us.
I pray this appointment serves as a starting point for him and many coaches from the Upper East Region for national recognition.
God bless Ghana Football
By Abagna Jose Nelson
