McDan Company Limited has launched a colt’s football tournament with the aim of helping rejuvenate colt’s football in the country.
The tournament is part of a long term plan by the Company to reach out to colt’s players and clubs in the country and give them a new lease of life.
Dubbed the “McDan Colts Football Tournament,” the competition, to be played in three categories – U-13, U-15 and U-17- will bring together almost 200 colts clubs dotted around the Greater Accra region to battle for honours from August 17 to September 29.
The launch on Tuesday was attended by the Technical Director of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), Francis Oti Akenteng, Black Stars Head Coach, Kwesi Appiah, the Greater Accra Regional Sports Development Officer, Richard Iddrisu Ewuntomah and the President of Phar Rangers FC, Nana Amponsah.
At the end of the preliminary stage, a total of 144 clubs will qualify to the first group stage, where teams from 10 selected districts will be involved in a knock out competition to select four clubs per district in each category.
On the format, Head of the Organising Committee, Eugene Jacquaye, said the committee has seeded 24 pioneering colts clubs in the region like Great Falcos, Mighty Victory, King Doko, Great Ambassadors, Kylistos, Adenta Youth, Thy Word, Me and You, Soccer Missionaries among others who will join the 120 clubs from the districts to bring the number to 144 clubs.
They will compete from 12 groups of four teams at the first group stage in a round robin format with the top two teams in each group, totaling 24, progressing to group stage two where they will compete from eight groups of three teams in a round robin format.
Winners of each group will be involved in the quarter finals, semi finals and progress to the finals to be played at the newly built ultra modern McDan Sports Complex at La.
Winners in each category will go home with trophies, jerseys, balls and cash prizes with the runners up also receive cash prizes and balls.
Messrs Coach Oti Akenteng, Kwesi Appiah and Nana Amponsah pledged their unflinching support for the tournament, calling on all to come on board to revive the colt’s game in the country to develop the next generation of soccer talents.
Mr Ewuntomah called for more stakeholder engagement to make sure the fundamentals of the game are properly cemented for a bright future for the game.
Former Black Stars striker George Alhassan, a product of the colts system was unveiled as the tournament ambassador.
BY RAYMOND ACKUMEY
