A former Ghana Football Association vice-president has publicly questioned the need for a formal committee to appoint the next Black Stars head coach. George Afriyie's comments come as a five-member panel, chaired by another former GFA vice-president Fred Pappoe, begins its work this week.

Afriyie argued that the nation's football leaders should already know the profile of coach they want. He pointed to swift appointments made by other federations, citing France, Senegal and Côte d'Ivoire as examples of countries that moved decisively after identifying suitable candidates. "I don't blame the Minister," Afriyie said. "The problem is not the Minister's problem, the problem is GFA's problem. It is the duty of the GFA to get the coach."

He specifically defended the Minister, rejecting suggestions of deep ministry involvement in the process. He noted that committee member Agbesi Dzakpasu has long been involved with the GFA and currently chairs its Appeals Committee. The former administrator challenged critics to name a single true ministry representative on the panel.

Pappoe panel begins work

Despite Afriyie's stance, the committee was formally constituted following a meeting between the GFA and the Ministry of Sports and Recreation last Friday. Joining chairman Pappoe are former Black Stars captains Anthony Baffoe and Stephen Appiah, alongside Faisal Chibsah and lawyer Agbesi Dzakpasu. Sports Minister Kofi Adams confirmed the group's mandate is to assess potential candidates and submit a recommendation by Friday, October 9.

"As promised, I will keep you updated on the steps we are taking to rebuild confidence in our football," Adams stated. The search follows the recent departure of Carlos Queiroz, who left the role after a brief tenure. The immediate task for the Pappoe-led committee is to present a shortlist within its seven-day deadline. The committee's first task is to assess the credentials of potential candidates for the vacant coaching position, with the next fixture for the Black Stars being a key 2026 World Cup qualifier against Mali in Bamako on November 13. The full composition of the current national squad is available on our squad list.

Read the full report at GhanaWeb