The Black Stars job is attracting plenty of interest. According to former Ghana Football Association (GFA) Communications Director Ibrahim Sannie Daara, more than 400 coaches have applied for the vacant position. But the four-time African champions are still without a permanent head coach, with a World Cup-year reset to manage and a pair of qualifiers fast approaching.
Sannie Daara, now a senior media officer at the Confederation of African Football (CAF), said the volume of applications reflects the respect Ghana commands in world football. In his words, most of the applicants are looking for work and admire the way Ghana plays. He confirmed that the count had passed 400.
That figure comes from him, not from the GFA, and a big pile of CVs doesn’t say how many applicants have the experience, record and profile to lead a national team.
How the Vacancy Arose
Portuguese coach Carlos Queiroz left on October 1 after a rough start to the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers. Ghana lost 2-0 to Côte d’Ivoire and then 4-2 at home to The Gambia in their first two Group C matches. The results piled pressure on the football authorities to restore confidence quickly.
Who Is Choosing the Next Coach?
The GFA and the Ministry of Sports and Recreation set up a five-member search committee, which is chaired by former GFA vice-president Fred Pappoe. Its other members are:
- Anthony Baffoe, former Ghana international
- Stephen Appiah, former Black Stars captain
- Faisal Chibsah, high-performance specialist
- Agbesi Dzakpasu, legal practitioner
The brief is to assess candidates on technical ability, leadership, cultural fit and high-performance standards, and to recommend a coach who can deliver now while building for the future. The GFA promised a transparent, merit-based process, and applications were invited by email.
Why There Is Still No Appointment
The explanation is that the timetable has been stretched. The committee was first told to report by Friday, October 9. On that day, the GFA said a preliminary review had recommended a more structured process, so the application deadline was moved to October 15. The evaluation, interviews and shortlisting are now expected to run through October and November, with a final recommendation to follow.
Several factors help explain the slower pace:
- A deliberate choice to invite applications. According to the GFA’s communications director, Henry Asante Twum, the association weighed headhunting and recommendations before agreeing with the Ministry to open formal applications. Part of the aim was to rebuild public trust in the process. That also raises the bar: the final choice must look credible and be based on clear criteria.
- More than a big pool—The committee has to run background checks, hold interviews and consult football stakeholders. Hundreds of applications mean more to sort through, not a quicker answer.
- A long-term target. The GFA says it wants a coach suited to the future direction of Ghana football, with tactical clarity, strong man-management and the ability to build a lasting football identity, not just the most impressive name on paper. Officials have framed the longer process as a way to avoid a rushed, failed appointment.
The Interim Plan for Somalia
While the search continues, the GFA has named an interim technical team for the November double-header against Somalia at the Accra Sports Stadium. The team is led by Swedish coach Kim Lars Björkegren, who also coaches the Black Queens, with Ibrahim Tanko and Godwin Attram as assistants and Fatawu Dauda as goalkeepers’ coach. Reports put the matches inside the international window of November 9 to 17.
Godwin Attram: From PSV Eindhoven To The Black Stars Bench
Björkegren, who joined the Black Stars’ backroom team as an assistant in February 2026, will take charge of the senior men’s side for the first time. The arrangement covers only these fixtures. Attram was an assistant under Queiroz, which the GFA says offers continuity. The GFA has defended the choice and called Björkegren the best-performing coach among the national teams, but the appointment has drawn criticism over how he will balance his duties with the Black Queens, who have Women’s World Cup play-offs coming up.
Ghana have lost both qualifiers and are chasing their first points, so the pressure is real. Interest from more than 400 coaches suggests the Black Stars job is still seen as attractive. But the real test is the quality of the appointment and the results that follow.
The longer the process runs, the more the GFA owes supporters clear updates on how the search is going and when a decision will come.