Most football enthusiasts and pundits in the Western region, one way or the other have heard about the name, Eric Kwame Owuo Agyemang and his handiworks on Rail Stars Academy, a Division Two League side in the region.
The astute businessman and the brain behind the brand – Rail Stars Academy, from nowhere in the footballing business has risen to be the personality most club owners cum administrators are yearning for to mount the enviable Western Regional Football Association Chairmanship role after Kojo Yankah denounced his interest of contesting again.
Is with this that Kyfilla.com approached the Cambridge based Bellerbys College graduate at his plush residence in Mempeasem, a suburb in Sekondi.
The interview which lasted over an hour was focused on his background as a businessman, the motives of investing into Rail Stars, contesting the Western regional FA seat among others. Below is the excerpts from the interview.
KYFILLA: Who is Mr. Eric Kwame Owuo Agyemang..??
AGYEMANG: Actually my full name is Eric Kwame Dapaah Owuo Agyemang born in Essikado to the late Mr. Owuo Agyemang. I attended my basic school at Morning Star Primary/ JHS in Accra then went to Mfantsipim SHS at Cape Coast before enrolling at the Bellerbys College in Cambridge to pursue a degree in Civil Engineering then later came back to Ghana but this time around studied Business and Administration Management at the Central University College.
KYFILLA: Why did you intend to do football after attaining all those qualifications..??
AGYEMANG: Actually, I have the passion for football and moreover, I was born into a football family because my father was a financier for Sekondi Eleven Wise, so growing up, that’s what I wanted to do. I personally love the administration part of the game.
KYFILLA: Why did you chose to invest in Rail Stars Academy and not Eleven Wise since your father was their financier..??
AGYEMANG: When I first relocated to Essikado, I met the current head coach for Rail Star who also double as Management Member and after a thorough discussions, I realised we share the same ideas, so I joined them to manage the club. I have been with Rail Stars for the past six years entering into my seventh year.
KYFILLA: What’s the main objective of Rail Stars Academy, do you intend to play in the Premier League..??
AGYEMANG: Our main objective as management, is to nurture proper talent for the European market and not necessarily qualifying for the Premier League but it doesn’t mean when the opportunity comes we wouldn’t grab it.
KYFILLA: Are you by any way disappointed with how selection of players into our various youth national teams are done..??
AGYEMANG: A very good question, you see, it’s a biggest worry for all the juvenile club administrators because we don’t know the criteria for selecting players into our various youth national teams. Those in charge must focused on searching for talent from the grassroots because that’s where real talents are produced. An example is our regional U-15 best player Amando Musah who has joined Skyy FC on loan from Dreams FC, he won the overall topscorer and the best player in the regional U-15 tournament but couldn’t get a call up to the U-17 team, it very sad.
KYFILLA: How did the halting of the league affected your team..??
AGYEMANG: The halting of the league affected us in both positive and negative ways. The negative aspect is, most of our players became rusty since there was no football activities but once again it has helped the management to restructure the club to a new era of Ghana football but holistically it has affected us.
KYFILLA: Why do you want to contest the Western Regional Football Association Chairmanship seat..??
AGYEMANG: The truth is, am not interested in contesting the seat because it’s never in my plans as at now but am willing to support anyone who mount the seat with my ideas when called upon. It was some section of the media who were speculating that I want to contest but I have no interest in competing for the seat.
