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Legendary defender Samuel Inkoom has expressed his wishes to nurture future football talent in Ghana after he retires from the sport.

Samuel Inkoom looks forward to teaching the next generation of Ghanaian football athletes. The former Black Stars defender wishes to teach the young talents to ensure the future of Ghana's national team.

Before, Inkoom participated in the Ghanaian national team from 2008 to 2014. During these years, Inkoom played at two World Cups and joined several teams across nine countries, including Samtredia and Torpedo Kutaisi.

After returning, Inkoom is now an active Accra Hearts of Oak member as a defender. In his current tenure, Inkoom believes it is time to share his expertise with emerging players.

In his tweet on Monday, August 28, Inkoom said he looks forward to identifying young people with football talents. He wishes to give them the necessary platform to train and develop.

He can add value to the entire Ghanaian football scene by doing so. In recent years, sportsbet in Ghana has become popular as football fans can become more proactive in cheering for their players. This enriches Ghana's already vibrant football culture in the past decade.

Beyond Gameplay

In early August 2023, the 34-year-old said that he is looking forward to joining player management after retirement.

According to his statement, a coach should be able to pursue other football-related matters other than gameplaying.

Focusing only on playing, according to Inkoom, will cause the coach to neglect other matters. Coaches also need to be able to scout potential players and learn proper player management.

As such, Inkoom insisted that he would not necessarily become a coach. Despite his vast experience as a football player, this does not guarantee that he can become a good coach.

Teaching the next generation of Ghanaian football players will be essential in preparing the country for the upcoming 2026 World Cup. The managing committee has placed Ghana in Group 1 alongside the Central African Republic (CAR), Chad, Comoros, Madagascar, and Mali.

Despite Ghana's previous participation in the 2010 World Cup, this does not guarantee a sure-fire way for Ghana to emerge as a champion from the games. Commenting on this topic, Inkoom stated that Ghana must not underestimate any opponent from start to finish.

The reason is that after several years, people cannot ascertain which country is going to qualify out of the group. Citing his experience in fighting the Malian team, he added that the team was a difficult opponent, and they continue such formidableness until today.

With the participation of Malian players in European leagues, Inkoom commented that it will not be easy for Ghana.

Ghana played against Mali in a friendly match in 2020. The match concluded with Mali defeating Ghana 3-0. In another league, Ghana managed to win and draw against Madagascar in the qualifiers for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.

Another probable reason behind Inkoom's decision to teach the young football players is his experience with FC Dnipro. When Inkoom was a player for Dnipro, he received an official invitation from the Ghanaian national team to play for them.

Because of his love for his motherland, he accepted the invitation. However, he had to forgo a one-month salary because of his temporary leave to Ghana. Even further, Dnipro already signed three fullbacks during his absence.

From experience, Inkoom emphasized the importance of reading contracts before signing them. In an interview, he claimed that his past decisions would have been more beneficial for him if he had an advisor on his side.

Inkoom said that younger players must have enough time to read their contracts before agreeing. Despite the seemingly high profile of international football players, Inkoom stated that real life is less glamorous than TV.

To ensure the welfare of international Ghanaian players, they should ask for other things beyond their regular salary.