Former Ghana Football Association (GFA) Vice-President George Afriyie has called on Ghanaians to rally behind Carlos Queiroz, insisting the Portuguese coach deserves the nation’s full support following his reappointment as Black Stars head coach.
Although Afriyie previously questioned the decision to appoint the experienced tactician, he believes the conversation has now shifted from debate to unity as Ghana prepares for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
Queiroz returned to the Black Stars job after an impressive four-month spell in which he guided Ghana to the knockout stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup—the country’s best performance at the tournament since reaching the quarter-finals in 2010.
The veteran coach was initially appointed in April after Otto Addo’s departure and quickly restored confidence within the national team setup, earning another opportunity to lead the Black Stars into the AFCON qualifying campaign.
Despite backing the coach now, Afriyie maintained that Queiroz was never his preferred candidate for the role.
“Before they appointed him, I made my position clear that Carlos Queiroz was not my preferred coach, and my reasons were simple,” Afriyie told Graphic Sports.
“I didn’t believe a coach at 73 or 74 years old could achieve the long-term transformation Ghana needed within a short period. I also questioned what his motivation would be.”
Afriyie had also expressed concerns over Queiroz’s pragmatic, defence-oriented style, arguing that it contrasted with Ghana’s traditional attacking philosophy.
However, with the Portuguese now firmly in charge and tasked with restoring Ghana’s place among Africa’s elite, the former GFA executive says it is time for everyone to put their differences aside and support the national team.
Queiroz’s immediate focus will be the 2027 AFCON qualifying campaign, beginning with a difficult away fixture against Côte d’Ivoire at the Stade de la Paix in Bouaké on September 24.
The Black Stars will then return home to face The Gambia at the Accra Sports Stadium three days later before completing their Group C campaign against Somalia.
Having already demonstrated his ability by guiding Ghana beyond the World Cup group stage, Queiroz will now aim to secure qualification for the 2027 AFCON and continue rebuilding the Black Stars into one of the continent’s leading national teams.
For Afriyie, regardless of his earlier reservations, the priority is now clear: backing the coach and ensuring the Black Stars have the support they need to succeed.
