Carlos Queiroz has dismissed concerns over player absences ahead of Ghana’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifying clash with The Gambia, insisting that the Black Stars must focus on the players available rather than complain about those who are missing.
The Ghana coach pointed to the limited preparation time the team had before their opening qualifying match against Côte d’Ivoire, explaining that the circumstances made it difficult for the players to develop an understanding on the pitch.
“To prepare the game against Ivory Coast we had 16 minutes on the pitch to put a team of players who knew each other at the Airport. Some of them didn’t know each other,” Queiroz said.
The Portuguese coach was speaking ahead of Ghana’s home encounter with The Gambia at the Accra Sports Stadium, with the Black Stars looking to respond after suffering defeat in their opening qualifying fixture.
Queiroz believes the circumstances surrounding the preparation for the Côte d’Ivoire game should be understood when assessing the team’s performance, particularly with several players arriving from different clubs and having limited time to train together.
He says the focus must now shift towards the players who are available and their ability to execute the game plan against The Gambia.
“No one should come crying about missing players,” Queiroz said, making it clear that he does not want the absence of certain players to become an excuse for the team’s performance.
The coach is instead demanding commitment and concentration from the squad as Ghana prepares for an important home fixture.
The Black Stars will be hoping to make better use of their preparation time this time around, with the technical team having an opportunity to work with the players ahead of the encounter.
Queiroz has also emphasised the importance of building a settled core within the team, arguing that constantly changing the squad would make it difficult to develop the understanding required to compete consistently.
Against The Gambia, Ghana will therefore be expected to show greater organisation, improved communication and a stronger understanding between the players.
The match carries added importance for the Black Stars as they seek to put their qualifying campaign back on track and give their home supporters a positive result.
For Queiroz, the message is clear: regardless of who is unavailable, the players selected must be ready to represent Ghana and deliver on the pitch.
