Former Ghana Football Association (GFA) Technical Director Francis Oti Akenteng has criticised the association for what he describes as a continued lack of trust in Ghanaian coaches, insisting that local tacticians are repeatedly overlooked for key national team appointments.
His comments come in the wake of the GFA’s decision to appoint Black Queens head coach Kim Lars Björkegren to lead the Black Stars on an interim basis for next month’s crucial 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Somalia.
The Swedish coach will head the temporary technical team and will be assisted by Medeama SC head coach Ibrahim Tanko and former Ghana international Godwin Attram, while Fatawu Dauda retains his role as goalkeeper coach.
Reacting to the appointment, Oti Akenteng argued that Ghana has several qualified local coaches capable of leading the senior national team and questioned why they continue to be overlooked whenever the position becomes vacant.
“There are local coaches who are capable of coaching the Black Stars,” he told Asempa FM.
“If they are always overlooked, that is a sign of disrespect, and if the local coaches are not respected, they will not have an interest in coaching.”
The veteran football administrator believes giving Ghanaian coaches opportunities at the highest level would not only boost their confidence but also contribute to the long-term development of the country’s coaching profession.
The Black Stars are currently without a substantive head coach following the departure of Carlos Queiroz after Ghana’s disappointing start to the 2027 AFCON qualifying campaign.
To find a permanent replacement, the GFA, in collaboration with the Ministry of Sports and Recreation, has constituted a five-member search committee tasked with identifying and recommending the next head coach of the senior national team.
Until that process is concluded, Björkegren and his assistants have been entrusted with preparing the Black Stars for two must-win qualifying matches against Somalia next month.
Ghana head into the double-header under pressure after losing their opening two Group C matches, leaving the four-time African champions rooted to the bottom of the standings without a point.
The Black Stars will be seeking back-to-back victories over Somalia to revive their qualification hopes and move closer to securing a return to the Africa Cup of Nations after missing the previous edition in Morocco.
