Former Ghana coach Carlos Queiroz was frustrated by the country’s football infrastructure, including the absence of a dedicated training base for the Black Stars, the Ghana Football Association’s communications director has said.
Henry Asante Twum said the lack of facilities was one of the factors behind the Portuguese coach’s departure after Ghana made a poor start to their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign.
The Ghana Football Association confirmed on 1 October that it had mutually agreed to end its relationship with the 73-year-old coach.
Ghana have lost both of their opening Group C matches and currently sit bottom of the section without a point. Their qualifying campaign began with a 2-0 defeat by Ivory Coast in Bouake before they suffered another damaging loss against The Gambia.
The Black Stars appeared to be on course for a positive result against The Gambia after taking a two-goal lead, but eventually lost 4-2 at the Accra Sports Stadium.
The results have left Ghana’s hopes of reaching the 2027 tournament under considerable pressure and prompted the end of Queiroz’s tenure.
Speaking to Kessben FM, Asante Twum said the former coach was particularly surprised that the national team did not have its own camp where it could regularly prepare for matches.
“One of the reasons why Carlos Queiroz has left his role is the lack of infrastructure in the country,” he told Kessben FM.
According to Asante Twum, Queiroz questioned how the national team could prepare properly without a permanent training facility.
“Carlos Queiroz was surprised to find out that the Black Stars do not have a camp base where the team trains.”
The communications director said the issue was unfamiliar to the former coach, who had worked with national teams elsewhere.
“He complained that he had never seen before that a national team does not have a camp base.”
The situation also meant Ghana’s training and match arrangements were centred around the same venue, something Queiroz believed could affect preparations and the quality of the playing surface.
“He was disappointed to find out that where the team plays is the same place the team trains. He believes that it affects the team and does not help in getting a proper pitch.”
Asante Twum also pointed to the small number of stadiums approved for international football as another factor behind the problem.
“The situation is that we have only one approved stadium, and he gave a scientific basis for his reasons,” he said.
The GFA has now begun the process of finding a replacement for Queiroz. A five-member committee has been appointed to lead the search for the next Black Stars head coach, with its report expected to be presented to the Sports Ministry on 9 October.
Ghana’s next opportunity to revive their qualifying campaign will come in October, when they face Somalia twice in a double-header. Both matches are scheduled to take place at the Accra Sports Stadium.
The Black Stars are seeking a return to the Africa Cup of Nations after missing out on the 2025 edition in Morocco.
The 2027 tournament will be staged jointly by Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. With Ghana already facing an uphill task after two defeats, the upcoming matches against Somalia will be important to their hopes of recovering from their difficult start.
For the GFA, the search for a new coach will take place alongside the wider challenge of addressing the infrastructure concerns highlighted during Queiroz’s short spell in charge.
