Baffoe pulls out of Black Stars coach search panel
Update, October 27: On October 12 we added a correction to this article saying Anthony Baffoe had remained on the committee, based on a GhanaSoccernet report and a GFA statement of October 11 that still listed him as a member. On October 21, GFA Communications Director Henry Asante Twum confirmed that Baffoe had in fact withdrawn and that the committee had continued its work with four members, as reported by MyJoyOnline, Adomonline and GhanaWeb. This article's original report was accurate, and we have withdrawn that correction. We apologise for the confusion.
The committee tasked with finding Ghana's next Black Stars coach has lost one of its members before it has even submitted its report. Former Ghana defender Anthony Baffoe has declined his appointment, Citi Sports reported on Tuesday.
Baffoe, who is General Secretary of the Professional Footballers Association of Ghana, was named as one of five members of the committee set up by the Ministry of Sports and Recreation and the Ghana Football Association after a crisis meeting on Friday, October 2.
Why did Baffoe step aside?
The exact reasons have not been set out publicly, and reports differ slightly in how they describe them. Adomonline says his decision is understood to be linked to concerns about the broader approach to football development in Ghana, rather than any lack of commitment to the Black Stars or Ghanaian football. Pulse Ghana reports that the decision followed concerns about consultation and communication.
Who is left on the panel
The committee is chaired by former GFA Vice-President Fred Pappoe. The remaining members are former Black Stars captain Stephen Appiah, high-performance specialist Faisal Chibsah and lawyer and football administrator Agbesi Dzakpasu.
Their task is to identify, assess and recommend a suitable candidate to succeed Carlos Queiroz, who left the post by mutual agreement on October 1.
A wider shake-up
The committee is only one part of a bigger overhaul. Adomonline reports that the Ministry has also directed the GFA to dissolve the Black Stars technical team and to set up a National Technical Management Committee, which must be consulted before the next coach is appointed. Graphic Online and 3News report that the new head coach will be required to live in Ghana and monitor the domestic league.
The clock keeps ticking
Baffoe's withdrawal is an unwelcome distraction at a time when the authorities are trying to show a united front. Ghana have lost both of their opening 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers and sit bottom of Group C, with a November double-header against Somalia now only weeks away.
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