Carlos Queiroz has taken full responsibility for Ghana’s shock 4-2 defeat to The Gambia and apologised to fans after the Black Stars threw away a 2-0 lead at the Accra Sports Stadium on Tuesday.
Speaking after the Group C qualifier, a visibly disappointed Queiroz said there was little to say after a terrible day where everything went wrong for his team.
“There is not much to say today after the terrible result for us. I, the staff, all the players, we are deeply sad with the result. And we have to say sorry to our fans, to our supporters, for what happened in the stadium,” he said.
Ghana were cruising after first-half goals from Ernest Nuamah and Felix Afena-Gyan, but two quick goals from The Gambia before the break killed the team’s morale and turned the game around, according to the coach.
Queiroz was emphatic that criticism should be directed at him and not his players, insisting they will be the ones to deliver qualification for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.
“If there is one person who takes the responsibility of the result, it’s me. If you want to blame and criticise, which is correct and right, you can question me as a coach. Please keep supporting your players,” he pleaded.
On calls for his resignation, the Portuguese tactician said quitting would be the easiest solution but would not solve Ghana football’s deeper problems.
“If you believe that with the coach resigning, you can change the situation of football in Ghana, I’ll be the first one to resign. I don’t have that belief. But that is a decision of the board of the Federation,” he said.
“I still have the top record of wins in international football. I am the coach in football with the most wins. And this defeat doesn’t make me a loser. This defeat makes me more alert for the lessons that we take.”
Queiroz also pointed to an unprecedented injury crisis that has hit the team, revealing that Ghana is without 24 players from the national A team.
Credit: ghanafa.org
