Former Ghanaian player, Iddriss Fuseini, known as ‘Akonta’, in the zango communities dream of establishing a standard football academy in Kumasi is finally coming to reality after seeing majority of the standard academies being established in Accra.
The former players also in another angle aimed at giving back to the society he grew and started his playing career by establishing a football academy in his native Kumasi, which will help nurture young budding talents who have no one to help.
The idea has already been backed by former Ghanaian greats like Abedi Ayew ‘Pele’, Anthony Yeboah, Kwadwo Opoku ‘Mahala’, John Paintsil, former Juventus star Kwadwo Asamoah and others and is hoping to come up with his which will be named Norga Football Academy.
Iddriss Fuseini, in a quest to making this initiative happen, organised a tryout football competition on Tuesday, 21st January, 2025, for children at 15 years and below under the supervision of experienced gaffer Paa Kwesi Fabin and Ewa Ibrahim, who has worked with Ghana Premier League side Legon Cities FC
A total of 12 clubs from Kumasi were present at the Kotei AstroTurf to compete with the aim of having their players make the final list of the coaches.
The partaking teams in the first phase of the trials butted heads with each other and players with standout performances in every game were picked by the technical handlers. Subsequently, they combined with others from different teams to play – a test to determine how quickly they can acclimitize in situation where they find themselves at different clubs and in different systems in the near future.
Twenty-two (22) players were selected by coach Paa Kwesi Fabin and are expected to be camped for some period of six month in Abirem before flying them for some friendly matches with the youth sides of Austrian giants RB Salzburg and Belgian giants Club Brugge who are partners of the Academy which is soon to established.
Speaking with Sokacenta.com, Iddrisu Fuseini ‘Akonta’ stressed that, his main aim is to have a standard academy in Kumasi since majority of them are located in the capital, Accra.
The former player turned FIFA license agent played for Kaloum stars and he remembered by his time with his team before traveling to Egyptian topflight side Al Ittihad Alexandria to start his professional journey. He also played for Finnish giants HJK Helsinki and two Belgian clubs St.Truiden and Union Saint-Gilloise in Europe.
