Former Managing Editor of the Insight Newspaper, Kwesi Pratt Jnr, has criticised the timing of the appointment of new Black Stars coach Carlos Queiroz, describing it as “annoying” and “sort of obscene”.
Speaking on the Good Morning Ghana show on Metro TV on 15 April, Mr Pratt questioned why Ghana would appoint a coach so close to a major tournament, arguing that the decision leaves no room for proper preparation.
“Well, it is completely Obscene and annoying,” he said. “Just about two months. There’s a major tournament like this and look at the time you’ve appointed a coach.”
He said even a highly experienced coach would struggle under such conditions.
“Even if the coach were a magician, he cannot perform. His records doesn’t matter. You have two months to a major tournament, and you’re going to appoint a coach now. What is he going to do?”
Mr Pratt also questioned how quickly a new coach could understand the team and build a competitive squad.
“The coach actually has the responsibility of building the team. How is he going to build the team in two months? This coach doesn’t know Ghana. He doesn’t know our players,” he said.
He argued that the late appointment reflects deeper structural issues in the management of the national team.
“That’s the problem. We don’t have a coach. We have to hire a coach. So all these years that Otto Addo was working with them, it had to be at the last minute before they found out that Otto Addo was not a good coach.”
He added that the situation was “sort of annoying” and escalated his criticism further.
“It’s sort of annoying. It’s sort of obscene that.”
Mr Pratt also raised concerns about the treatment of local coaches, saying Ghanaian managers are often overlooked despite their experience.
“We have Ghanaian coaches. Some of them have done excellently well and so on. Why do they employ a Ghanaian coach, they pay him a quarter of the salary they would pay a foreign coach? What is that?”
He said television coverage of major tournaments also highlights the importance of the national coach’s image on the global stage.
“I watch these tournaments, and anytime there’s an issue or something exciting, the cameras pan to the coach. So when the cameras pan to the coach, this is the man who will be seen as Ghana’s coach. And we are proud of it.”
Queiroz, 73-year-old, brings extensive international experience to the role. He has previously managed national teams including Portugal, South Africa and Iran, and has also worked as an assistant at clubs such as Manchester United and Real Madrid.
His coaching career has taken him across several countries including the United Arab Emirates, Colombia, Qatar, Iran and Oman, with multiple FIFA World Cup appearances across different cycles.
However, his recent record has been mixed, with four wins, four draws and eight losses in his last 16 matches. At World Cup level, his best performance came in 2010 when he guided Portugal to the last 16, while later campaigns with Iran ended at the group stage.
The appointment continues to divide opinion as Ghana prepares for its next major international challenge.
