Former Ghana Football Association (GFA) Vice President George Afriyie says the search for a new Black Stars head coach should have begun before Carlos Queiroz left his post.
Queiroz and the GFA mutually agreed to end their relationship after Ghana made a poor start to the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers. Ghana opened Group C with a 2-0 defeat by Cote d’Ivoire before losing 4-2 at home to The Gambia.
Those results left Ghana without a point from their first two matches and created a vacancy in the national team coaching position.
The GFA and the Ministry of Sports and Recreation subsequently established a five-member Technical Search Committee to identify, assess and recommend a suitable successor.
The panel is chaired by former GFA Vice President Fred Pappoe. Former Black Stars internationals Anthony Baffoe and Stephen Appiah, legal practitioner and football administrator Agbesi Dzakpasu, and high-performance specialist Faisal Chibsah are also members.
The committee is due to submit its report to the GFA by Friday, October 9.
Afriyie, however, believes the process should not have started only after the national team was left without a coach.
“I personally think that there was no need for the formation of a committee at this level,” he told Sporty FM.
He cited France and Cote d’Ivoire as examples of nations he believes have made greater preparations for possible changes in the dugout.
According to Afriyie, the GFA should maintain an ongoing assessment of potential coaches, complete background checks and build relationships with suitable candidates before a vacancy arises.
He referred to Zinedine Zidane as the type of coach France could have identified in advance, while also highlighting Cote d’Ivoire’s previous experience with Herve Renard.
Afriyie said responsibility for appointing the Black Stars coach lies with the GFA, rather than the Ministry of Sports and Recreation.
“I don’t blame the Minister. The problem is not the Minister’s problem, the problem is GFA’s problem. Because it is the duty of the GFA to get us a coach,” he said.
He also dismissed the idea that the ministry is closely involved in the day-to-day selection process, arguing that its role is mainly to receive information from the football association.
The issue is being considered as Ghana prepares for a crucial November double-header against Somalia in the 2027 AFCON qualifiers. The country must revive its campaign after consecutive defeats in its opening matches.
The five-member committee is expected to finish its assessment and present its recommendation while the GFA works to fill the vacant position.
