The Ghana Football Association is exploring options for an interim coach to lead the Black Stars in their upcoming Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Somalia in November. This development follows the departure of Carlos Queiroz and the team's disappointing start to the qualifying campaign. Ghana lost their first two matches, suffering a 2-0 defeat away to Côte d'Ivoire and a 4-2 loss at home to The Gambia.
The current situation has increased pressure on the team to improve their performance in the remaining fixtures. With two matches against Somalia scheduled for November, the GFA is considering an interim coach to oversee the team while a search for a permanent successor to Queiroz continues. This approach will allow the team to prepare for the upcoming qualifiers without delay.
Ibrahim Tanko and Godwin Attram are among the names being discussed for the interim coaching role. Tanko, the current head coach of Medeama and a former coach of the Black Meteors, has experience within Ghana's national team structure. He has previously worked as an assistant coach of the senior national team and led the Black Meteors, Ghana's under-23 side.
Godwin Attram, who serves as an assistant coach of the Black Stars, is already part of the team's technical setup. His familiarity with the national team could provide an option for the GFA as it prepares for the November fixtures. The experience of both candidates could be beneficial in the short term as the team looks to secure positive results against Somalia.
A five-member committee has been established by the GFA and the Ministry of Sports and Recreation to identify a substantive replacement for Queiroz. The committee will assess available candidates before recommending a long-term appointment. The possibility of an interim coach allows the process to continue without delaying preparations for the upcoming qualifiers.
Ghana's immediate focus will be on securing positive results against Somalia to boost their AFCON qualification campaign. The Black Stars are not scheduled to play their next AFCON qualifiers until March 2027, when they will face Côte d'Ivoire and The Gambia in their final two matches of the campaign. This period may provide the committee with additional time to evaluate potential candidates and identify a suitable coach.
An interim appointment would enable Ghana to prepare for the Somalia double-header while the search for a permanent head coach continues. The Black Stars will need to improve on their opening performances to recover from their difficult start and remain in contention for qualification to the 2027 AFCON.
Key points
- Ibrahim Tanko and Godwin Attram are being considered as interim coaches for the Black Stars.
- The team faces Somalia in their November AFCON qualifiers.
- A five-member committee has been established to identify a permanent replacement for Carlos Queiroz.
