Executive Council Member of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), sports entrepreneur and manager of the Asamoah Gyan Brand, Samuel Anim Addo, has outlined three major reforms he would pursue if he were to lead Ghana's football governing body, placing greater emphasis on grassroots development, professional competence and transparency.

According to him, restoring the integrity and competitiveness of Ghana football would require structural reforms that strengthen player development, improve football administration and enhance confidence in the game's judicial processes.

Speaking on Joy FM's Personality Profile with Lexis Bill on Thursday, August 6, Mr Anim Addo said his foremost priority would be to make participation in Ghana's domestic football structure a prerequisite for players born in Ghana who aspire to represent the national teams.

"The first major thing I want to change is to make sure that if you want to play for the national team, you must play Colts football, especially if you are born in Ghana. If you don't play Colts football, I won't let you play. It's regulations, because we are seeing a lot of half-baked players because people don't go through the mill," he said.

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He argued that footballers should progress through recognised development pathways rather than seek shortcuts into the national teams, stressing that competitive local football helps build character, resilience and match temperament.

Drawing a comparison with professional careers in other fields, he said success is built through gradual development and practical experience.

"... a lot of people want to [jump in] to play for the national team. They play one or two games; they want to play [for Ghana]," he observed.

Mr Anim Addo also advocated stronger investment in academy football, insisting that youth academies should participate in organised league competitions to prepare players adequately for elite football.

"Even if it's an academy, the academy must participate in the Colts league so that boys who develop... build their temperament and their confidence," he said, adding that competitive grassroots football remains the foundation of successful football nations.

Professionalise club administration

The football administrator identified capacity building for club owners and administrators as another critical area requiring urgent attention.

He said individuals should not be allowed to manage football clubs without first acquiring the necessary knowledge and skills in sports administration.

"Everybody in the industry must also learn to build their capacity before they run a club. People are running clubs... they just want to jump in," he said.

Comparing football administration to journalism, he stressed that professionalism can only be achieved through structured learning and mentorship.

"Like the way you guys are sometimes talking about journalism standards, people will just wake up because they have a phone; they go to a radio station and say, 'You're a journalist.' No, you must learn. Look at those of you who learnt even how to write, how to speak, the pitch, the tone, the voice, and how to read. Some people don't want to learn that; they just want to jump in," he stated.

Transparent football justice

Mr Anim Addo's third reform priority centres on strengthening the GFA's judicial system to improve efficiency and public confidence.

He called for faster adjudication of football-related disputes and greater transparency to eliminate perceptions of favouritism.

"When it comes to the judicial system, we should be able to do it in a way where we'll fast-track it well and then make it an open system where, when decisions come, people will not say that somebody's being favoured because he's a friend of the leadership," he said.

His comments come at a time when discussions continue within Ghana's football fraternity over player development, governance standards and reforms aimed at improving the competitiveness of the domestic game and strengthening confidence in football administration.