New Black Stars coach must spend more time in Ghana – Sports Minister

Ghana’s next Black Stars head coach must spend more time in the country and take a closer interest in local football, Sports and Recreation Minister Kofi Adams has said.

The minister’s comments come as Ghana searches for a successor to Carlos Queiroz following his departure from the Ghana Football Association (GFA) after the team’s disappointing start to the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying campaign.

Adams said the expectation had been communicated to the GFA as discussions continued over the appointment of a new coach, stressing that the role should involve more than preparing the team for international fixtures.

“In our engagement with the GFA, we indicated that our coach should also be interested in spending time in Ghana,” he told Citi FM.

“You can’t have a national team coach who visits the country only when the team is coming to play a competition… then you are not a national team coach,” Adams added.

He said the coach should spend more time in Ghana while also travelling abroad when necessary to monitor players.

“The coach must spend more time here and maybe go to Europe to also scout there from time to time,” he said.

Ghana are expected to appoint a new head coach before their final round of qualifying matches against Côte d’Ivoire and The Gambia.

In the meantime, an interim technical team is expected to oversee the Black Stars for their double-header against Somalia next month at the Accra Sports Stadium.

Reports have linked Black Queens coach Kim Lars Björkegren, Godwin Attram and Ibrahim Tanko with possible roles in the temporary setup, although the appointments have not been confirmed in the information provided.

The immediate task will be to steady a side that has struggled to find its footing in the qualifiers.

Ghana sit bottom of Group C without a point after losing their opening two qualifying matches.

The poor start has increased the pressure on the team to turn their campaign around as they seek to return to the AFCON after missing the 2025 tournament in Morocco.

For Adams, the search for a new coach also presents an opportunity to establish a stronger connection between the national team and football in Ghana.

His remarks suggest that the next appointment will be judged not only on results but also on the coach’s willingness to work in the country, monitor local talent and maintain closer contact with the domestic game.