Going to World Cup with a short-term coach wrong - Majeed Waris

Former Ghana forward Majeed Waris has stated that the Ghana Football Association’s decision to hire Carlos Queiroz on a short-term basis was a wrong strategy.

The veteran Portuguese coach was appointed in April 2026 to replace Otto Addo but announced his departure just days ago following the Black Stars' Round of 32 exit at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Waris emphasized that immediately after a major tournament concludes, the team is left entirely without guidance when a coach disappears, which completely fractures the national setup and forces everyone to start all over again.

"It's about time we had a plan for what we want to achieve in the future. We need to have, as the coach has already said, a clear idea of what we want to achieve. We need to build something for the long term,” Waris told Joy Sports.

"Now, the coach has just come, and then he disappeared. Now, we have to start all afresh. Why didn't we just go for someone we could actually start building the team with and then continue? So now, it's like we have to start all over again.”

Despite the strategic flaws highlighted by Waris, Queiroz's squad actually surpassed initial expectations during their campaign.

Managing the team through five matches with a record of one win, two draws, and two defeats, Queiroz guided Ghana out of a difficult group.

The Black Stars secured a dramatic 1-0 opening victory over Panama and held tournament heavyweights England to a 0-0 draw, advancing to the World Cup knockout stage for the first time since 2010.

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