Black Stars head coach Carlos Queiroz has hit back at criticism of his playing style, insisting he will not change his philosophy after 47 years in coaching.
The 73-year-old Portuguese trainer has come under scrutiny following Ghana’s style of play at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America, where the Black Stars managed just one win in four matches despite reaching the Round of 16.
Speaking at a press conference in Accra on Monday ahead of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, Queiroz defended his approach, stressing that coaches are judged by results, not entertainment.
“Have you seen any coach lose their job because of style of play before? Coaches lose their job because they don’t win, not because of their style. There is one thing that has kept me in my job for 47 years and it’s not after 47 years that I’m coming to change my style,” Queiroz said.
Queiroz also rejected suggestions that Ghana deliberately adopted a defensive approach at the World Cup.
“You think I didn’t want us to have the ball at the World Cup? Give me a break. When we don’t have the ball, our job is to fight until we have it back. Some call it defence, but I don’t call it that. The win makes the style, that’s the law of the game,” he added.
The former Real Madrid and Manchester United assistant coach acknowledged that football is a game of opinions but called for unity around the Black Stars.
“Football is a game of opinions. Everyone can’t go in the same direction, but the only time everyone has to go in the same direction is when it comes to the Black Stars.”
Ghana begin their AFCON qualifying campaign with a difficult away fixture against Cote d’Ivoire in Bouake on September 24, before hosting The Gambia in Accra on September 27.
