Sports World

The search for Ghana's next Black Stars coach is officially under way, and whoever gets the job will come with a clear condition attached: they will be expected to live in Ghana.

The Ghana Football Association and the Ministry of Sports and Recreation have set up a five-member committee to find a successor to Carlos Queiroz, who left the post by mutual agreement on October 1. The panel has been given until Friday, October 9, to submit its recommendations.

Who is on the committee?

The decision followed a meeting between the GFA leadership and the Ministry in Accra on Friday, October 2. According to the GFA, the committee will be chaired by former GFA Vice-President Fred Pappoe and includes:

Anthony Baffoe, General Secretary of the Professional Footballers Association of Ghana and a former Ghana international;
Agbesi Dzakpasu, a lawyer and football administrator;
Stephen Appiah, the former Black Stars captain;
Faisal Chibsah, a high-performance specialist.

Its terms of reference are to identify, evaluate and recommend a suitable candidate. The GFA and the Ministry have promised Ghanaians a transparent, merit-based process.

A coach based at home

The most significant change concerns where the next coach will work. According to Graphic Online and 3News, the GFA and the Ministry have agreed that the new head coach will be required to live in Ghana and regularly monitor the domestic league.

The two bodies also agreed on wider measures relating to player development and the management of national teams. 3News reports that a Public Interest Committee will be set up to supervise and coordinate the implementation of those reforms.

How Ghana got here

Queiroz first joined on a short-term deal that covered the 2026 World Cup, where Ghana reached the round of 32 before losing 1-0 to Colombia. His future was uncertain after the tournament, but the GFA reappointed him on September 2 for the next phase of the programme, citing his experience and familiarity with the squad.

That second spell lasted less than a month. Defeats to Ivory Coast and, most damagingly, a 4-2 home loss to The Gambia left the Black Stars bottom of Group C in 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying, and two days later Queiroz was gone.

Early names and growing pressure

Speculation about candidates has already begun. Pulse Ghana reports that former Manchester United striker Dwight Yorke has expressed interest in the role, though there has been no indication from the GFA about who is under consideration.

The pressure is not limited to the dugout. Pulse Ghana also reports that former GFA figure Alhaji Grusah has called on GFA president Kurt Okraku to resign following the national team's poor performances.

The clock is ticking

The timeline is tight. The committee reports on Friday, and whoever is appointed will have only weeks to prepare before the November international window, when Ghana face Somalia in two qualifiers that the Black Stars can ill afford to drop points in.

With The Gambia six points clear at the top of the group, the new coach's first task will be simple to describe and difficult to deliver: win both games and get Ghana's qualifying campaign moving again.

Photo: Celestinesucess / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0