Experienced administrator Fitzgerald Barkers Woode has warned the Ghana Football Association (GFA) and the Ministry of Sports and Recreation against rushing their appointment of a new Black Stars head coach.
Ghana are looking for a successor to Portuguese trainer Carlos Queiroz, who departed after the team’s poor start to the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign.
The GFA and the Sports Ministry have formed a five-member committee to assess candidates and recommend a replacement for Queiroz.
An interim technical team is expected to lead the Black Stars in their next two AFCON qualifying matches against Somalia at the Accra Sports Stadium next month. A permanent coach is expected to be appointed after those fixtures.
Barkers Woode believes the recruitment process should be handled carefully, with the successful candidate required to have a clear understanding of Ghanaian football.
Speaking to Graphic Sports, the veteran football administrator said the new coach should be familiar with the country’s football environment, its playing philosophy and the wider challenges affecting the game.
He believes that knowledge would help the incoming coach adapt to the role more quickly and improve the team’s chances of producing positive results.
The GFA has set 15 October as the deadline for applications as it continues its search for Queiroz’s successor.
The appointment will be made under significant pressure, with Ghana having lost both of their opening matches in the 2027 AFCON qualifiers.
The Black Stars started their campaign with a 2-0 defeat by Ivory Coast away from home. They then suffered a 4-2 loss to The Gambia in Accra, despite taking a two-goal lead in the match.
Those results have left Ghana bottom of Group C without a point and increased the importance of selecting a coach capable of helping the team recover.
Ghana are also attempting to qualify for the continental tournament after missing the previous edition in Morocco.
Barkers Woode’s warning comes as the football authorities balance the need for a permanent appointment with the immediate challenge of stabilising a team that has made a difficult start to qualifying.
The interim set-up will oversee the two matches against Somalia, while the five-member committee continues its work on identifying a long-term head coach for the Black Stars.