Former Youth and Sports Minister, Edwin Nii Lante Vanderpuye believes hiring a high-profile coach is not the solution to Ghana’s current struggles at tournaments after yet another failure at the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations in Cote d’Ivoire.
He said this in the wake of the five-member search committee the Ghana Football Association has put together to announce Chris Hughton’s successor in the next 21 days.
The search has become paramount after Chris Hughton was relieved of his duties after Ghana’s exit at the group stage of the Africa Cup of Nations in Cote D’Ivoire.
France Women’s U-21 side Herve Renard, former Coach for The Gambia Tom Saintfiet, former Black Stars coach James Kwesi Appiah, former Chelsea, Manchester United & AS Roma coach, Jose Mourinho and others are reportedly on the radar of the Football Association as Chris Hughton’s successor.
Speaking to Citi Sports, in an exclusive interview, Nii Lante Vanderpuye, a former Sports Minister believes appointing a high profile Coach is not the only solution to the Black Stars’ struggles at major tournaments.
The issue is we have to look at what we want to achieve as a nation, is it just a matter of bringing in a foreign coach? he quizzed.
Today, we can all testify to the fact that, what we talk about, the undue influence was the nemesis of our local coach is still going on.
What is the guarantee that, Herve Renard when he comes, he will not be manipulated.
I am sure even if Mourinho comes, even if Pep Guardiola comes, the disease at the GFA will still linger on, if we don’t tackle that disease, it will affect them.
So it is better to have somebody who understands the cry of Ghanaians, who knows the feelings and sentiments of Ghanaians.
We should have a long term goal for whoever comes in, set him some KPI’s, and begin to mark him by that, then all of us in this country, we can mark him by that.
The search committee will be chaired by Vice President of the Ghana Football Association Mark Addo.
Legal Practitioner and law lecturer Ace Ankomah (Esq.) will act as Vice Chairman of the search committee, with the Director of Coaching Education of the GFA, Professor Joseph Kwame Mintah, Ghana football legend Opoku Nti and William Caesar Kartey, Chief Director of the Ministry of Youth and Sports, as members.
The Football Association further went on to reveal the criteria for the selection of the next head coach.
