The Ghana Football Association (GFA) says it invited applications for the vacant Black Stars head coach position to rebuild public confidence and honour an agreed recruitment process with the Ministry of Sports and Recreation.
GFA Communications Director Henry Asante Twum said the decision followed discussions between the two bodies, which formed a five-member committee to oversee the search for a permanent successor to Carlos Queiroz.
Queiroz left his position after Ghana made a poor start to the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying campaign. The Black Stars are bottom of Group C without a point after defeats by Ivory Coast and The Gambia in their opening two matches.
Ghana also failed to qualify for the previous AFCON tournament in Morocco.
Asante Twum said the authorities had considered several ways of identifying a new coach, including headhunting and relying on recommendations. However, he said a formal application process was considered the most appropriate response to public dissatisfaction with previous recruitment methods.
“Every point raised is very valid. However, sometimes you also have to consider the research method you are using to find a solution, especially when you want to restore public confidence,” he told TV3.
“You are dealing with people who, in a way, are tired of a certain style or way of doing things and want you to change. All these are part of the process.”
The GFA communications director added that the association did not have sole authority over how the recruitment should be conducted because the Ministry of Sports and Recreation was also involved.
“Since the decision was not solely that of the FA and had to involve the Ministry, we had to agree to move in certain directions. We needed to respect that particular approach,” he added.
Opening the position to applications allows interested coaches to formally put themselves forward, rather than leaving the GFA and ministry to depend entirely on direct approaches to preferred candidates.
In the meantime, Kim Lars Bjorkegren has been appointed to oversee the Black Stars’ interim technical team. He will work alongside assistants Ibrahim Tanko and Godwin Attram for Ghana’s November AFCON qualifying double-header against Somalia.
The GFA is expected to appoint a substantive head coach before Ghana plays its final matches in the 2027 AFCON qualifiers next year.
