The end arrived for Sebastian Barnes some years ago and the former Ghana youth team captain is still involved in the game having taken to coaching.

His promising career which started at Hearts of Oak was ravaged by injuries as his move to German side Bayer Leverkusen did not go according to plan.

However, that did not leave him hollow as Barnes who represented Ghana at the FIFA U-17 World Championship in both 1991 and 1993 is determined to make up for the lost moments on the pitch.

With his best years coming at the youth level for Ghana, Barnes is clear in what direction he will move in the future as he learns the ropes as a Leverkusen youth coach.

He recently met a Ghana Football Association delegation, led by President Kwesi Nyantakyi in Germany and gave an update about his progress in coaching.

Barnes says he is happy with his development as a coach as he follows in the steps of a number of former Ghana internationals who played in Germany – Ibrahim Tanko and Otto Addo – to have taken up coaching with Bundesliga sides.

Having been awarded a UEFA License B coaching certificate two years ago, Barnes, now 37, accepts that directing from the touchline is the new order for him.

The former Ghana U17 star last year, openly expressed his interest to grab the Hearts of Oak coaching job which became vacant following the sacking of C.K Akunnor.

The coach of the under 17 side of the German Bundesliga giants, Bayer Leverkusen has never hidden his desire to lead his former side.