Former France international Marcel Desailly has backed newly appointed Ghana head coach Carlos Queiroz to succeed at the upcoming World Cup, stating that the veteran manager possesses the necessary authority to instill discipline and handle player hierarchies within the Black Stars squad.
Queiroz took over the national team shortly before the tournament following the exit of Otto Addo. While Desailly praised Addo, he noted that poor results in recent friendly matches prompted the managerial change.
“I love the previous coach (Otto Addo). He was unlucky that they did not perform during the friendlies. But I believe that Queiroz will bring his own touch into the system. I talk about the system,” Desailly said.
The World Cup winner pointed out that squad management and external pressure remain significant challenges for coaches in African football, but expressed confidence that Queiroz’s extensive European experience would shield him from outside interference.
“In Ghana and many other countries, the system is that sometimes the coach has to adapt to what the management and administration are telling him, you see?” Desailly stated. “So Queiroz will deal with his own sensibility. He knows about football. He has experience in football. He has real experience in European football over the years. So he will kill a little bit of the egos. In Africa, we have a problem with the egos. The older players that are in the team, who are no longer performing, but they are still there, and you cannot move them out.”
Despite Ghana’s failure to qualify for the recent Africa Cup of Nations, Desailly believes the team can rebuild its identity under the Portuguese tactician and potentially become a surprise package of the tournament.
“So Ghana could be one of the surprises if they start very well with the confidence and a good philosophy from Queiroz, and kill all the things that I’ve said before: the egos and the older player problems, those who are in the system that sometimes delay the development of others,” he said.
Ghana is scheduled to open its Group L World Cup campaign against Panama on June 17, before playing subsequent matches against England and Croatia in Toronto, Boston, and Philadelphia. The Black Stars are aiming to reach the knockout stages for the first time since 2010.