Ghana Football Association president Kurt Okraku has defended Carlos Queiroz’s approach to the game, saying an emphasis on attractive football has failed to deliver the Africa Cup of Nations title to the Black Stars for 47 years.
Okraku made the comments ahead of Queiroz’s reappointment as Ghana head coach on Wednesday, 2 September, after the Portuguese manager’s initial short-term spell with the team at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The GFA president said Queiroz should not be assessed only on the style of football Ghana produced during the tournament, particularly because the coach had less than two months to prepare the squad.
“47 years, style has not taken us anywhere. That’s the truth. People hate it when I speak like this. But style has not brought us to AFCON. We’ve not won it,” Okraku said in an exclusive interview with 3Sports.
Ghana’s most recent AFCON triumph came in 1982, when the Black Stars defeated hosts Libya on penalties in the final.
The team had previously won the competition in 1963, 1965 and 1978. Since their last success, Ghana have reached the final on three occasions, finishing runners-up in 1992, 2010 and 2015.
Okraku also highlighted periods during the World Cup in which he believes Ghana were capable of controlling matches under Queiroz, despite criticism of the team’s general tactical approach.
“When we played against Croatia, even though we lost, there were moments in this game that Croatia could not even come out of the box, out of their third of the pitch,” he said.
“Ghana pinned them. That was Ghana being in control of that game in that period.”
The GFA president said Queiroz had faced a demanding task when he first assumed responsibility for the national team, with limited time to assess players, assemble a squad and establish a tactical plan.
“The man took over the team barely two months to the World Cup. Had to scout 24 hours a day, had to put a squad together, had to develop the right strategy. It was not an easy call, to be honest,” Okraku said.
He suggested the team’s football could change if Queiroz is given a longer period in charge and works with a different group of players.
“Over time, if the same person has a chance to work again with the team, with different players, under different circumstances, maybe the style may be different, the approach may be different,” he added.
Okraku also dismissed the idea that Ghana used exactly the same tactical plan in every World Cup match. He pointed to the contrasting outcomes against England and Colombia as evidence that the team’s approach varied according to the opposition and circumstances.
“Did we get the desired result from England? The answer is yes. Did we get the desired result from Colombia? The answer is no. What do we want as a people?” he quizzed.
Ghana’s football authorities have not yet published the terms of Queiroz’s new agreement. The GFA says details of the coach’s contract will be released in due course.
