Former Sports Minister, Edwin Nii Lante Vanderpuye, has rejected calls for the immediate appointment of a local coach to replace Otto Addo, instead advocating for the selection of a qualified African tactician.
He stressed that whoever takes over must possess a strong understanding of the current Black Stars player pool and its dynamics.
His remarks come amid growing speculation over the vacant role, with the Ghana Football Association (GFA) reportedly revealing that over 600 applicants have shown interest ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
According to Mr. Vanderpuye, the priority should not be nationality alone, but the coach’s track record and how well their philosophy aligns with the existing squad.
“I agree with Rev. Osei Kofi to an extent but inasmuch as i say we don’t need European coaches I think we need an African coach.”
“We won trophies in the past with Ghanaian coaches but they were good coaches. Otto Addo, Ibrahim Tanko, CK Akornor, Godwin Attram, Laryea Kingston and others are all coming up. They have not gotten to where we can entrust the Black Stars into their hands.”
“They should go and start at the club level to build their resume and capacity” he said.
With just 70 days to the Mundial, the Ghana Football Association is expected to name a new head coach soon as preparations intensify for the global tournament.
