Black Stars need consistency to build a winning team – Carlos Queiroz

Black Stars head coach Carlos Queiroz says Ghana must establish a consistent core of players if they are to build a team capable of sustained success.

The Portuguese coach made the comments ahead of Ghana’s 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against The Gambia at the Accra Sports Stadium on Tuesday.

Queiroz believes constantly changing the squad makes it difficult to develop the understanding and stability needed to build a winning team.

“You cannot build a winning team if you change every camp; you change seven, eight, nine players,” Queiroz said.

The 73-year-old stressed that occasional qualification for major tournaments or isolated successes should not be regarded as evidence of a winning culture.

“To win or qualify one team once in a while is not about having a winning team, a culture team, a champions team,” he added.

Queiroz said Ghana must instead develop a side capable of regularly challenging for the Africa Cup of Nations and competing strongly at the World Cup.

He pointed to some of the Black Stars’ notable achievements, including Ghana’s 1982 AFCON triumph and their run to the quarter-finals of the 2010 World Cup, as examples of the successes the country should seek to build on.

“We need more heroes,” Queiroz said.

While the coach acknowledged the importance of Tuesday’s qualifier, he said Ghana’s preparations must also focus on creating a foundation for long-term success.

“We have to win the game tomorrow,” he said. “But at the same time, we have to put the seeds of the future.”

Queiroz called for the development of a settled group of players, backed by clear communication and trust between the Ghana Football Association, the technical team and the squad.

“We need to have the core of the team prepared and ready to come,” he said.

The coach believes greater stability within the national team will help Ghana develop the consistency required to compete at the highest level.

His comments come as the Black Stars attempt to recover from a disappointing start to their 2027 AFCON qualifying campaign.

Ghana lost 2-0 to Côte d’Ivoire in Bouaké in their opening Group C fixture last Thursday and will now face The Gambia, knowing that another difficult result could increase the pressure on the team.

The Black Stars are seeking a return to the AFCON after failing to qualify for the 2025 tournament in Morocco, bringing an end to their run of more than two decades of consecutive appearances at the competition.

With Ghana already trailing in Group C after the defeat in Côte d’Ivoire, Queiroz is demanding an immediate response while also seeking to lay the foundations for a more consistent Black Stars side in the future.