Former Ghana Football Association Vice President George Afriyie has raised doubts about whether Carlos Queiroz is the right person to lead the Black Stars long term.
He believes Ghana needs a younger, more ambitious coach to build a strong future for the national team.
Queiroz was hired on a short-term contract after Otto Addo was dismissed, stepping in to lead the Black Stars less than three months before the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Even with little time to prepare and some criticism of his practical style, the experienced Portuguese coach led Ghana to the Round of 32, ending a 16-year wait for a spot in the World Cup knockout rounds.
But Afriyie thinks Queiroz’s age and cautious coaching style make him the wrong choice to lead Ghana’s long-term plans.
Speaking on Adom TV, the former GFA executive said that playing only defensive football is unlikely to win major trophies.
“No coach who adopts defensive tactics wins trophies. If we keep Carlos Queiroz for one or two years, we will eventually sack him. What motivation does he have to win a trophy for Ghana?” Afriyie said.
“If he were working for the government, he would already be retired. We need a coach who is hungry and ambitious, someone who still has something to prove in his career, not someone approaching the end of it.”
Afriyie explained that before Queiroz was hired, he supported bringing in an experienced coach because Ghana had little time to get ready for the World Cup. He said his comments were misunderstood and emphasized that he meant it as a short-term fix, not a long-term plan.
“I told Ghanaians that we needed an experienced coach to take us through the situation we were in because we had little time. But people did not understand what I meant,” he added.
He also said the GFA should look carefully for a coach who can not only manage the national team at big tournaments but also help build a lasting project for the future.
Now, the focus shifts to the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers. Ghana is in Group C with Gambia, Côte d’Ivoire, and Somalia. The qualifiers start in September, and the GFA is expected to decide on Carlos Queiroz’s future soon after reviewing his World Cup report.
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