Ghana's late coaching switch to Queiroz could boost World Cup hopes
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June 2 : A late change of coach ahead of the World Cup might provide a boost to Ghana, who have turned to veteran Portuguese Carlos Queiroz after a run of poor results eroded confidence in his predecessor.
German-born former Ghana international Otto Addo was coach at the last World Cup in Qatar but the country's failure to qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations at the turn of the year and comprehensive losses in their four high-profile games in November and March saw him fired in early April.
Queiroz was handed the reins weeks later.
It will be a fifth successive World Cup for the 73-year-old Queiroz, whose past African experience has been with South Africa and Egypt and who managed Real Madrid and was Alex Ferguson's right-hand man at Manchester United.
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Queiroz had a whirlwind tour around Europe soon after his appointment to talk to key players but had little time for any in-depth preparations for their Group L encounters against Panama, England and Croatia.
But his experience will likely give structure to a squad filled with individual talent but lacking in tactical discipline and defensive solidity.
Manchester City's Antoine Semenyo leads a strong attack, but Queiroz will be without the injured Mohammed Kudus, who has become the team's talisman and the key factor in their last two successful qualifying campaigns.
Ghana also continue their struggle to find an international-quality goalkeeper, which has been a problem through several major tournaments.
“We are running against the wind. We are running against time. But, in my experience and my expertise, and the support of the staff and especially our players, I'm very much confident that we can do well,” said Queiroz when he took over.
The Black Stars first qualified for the World Cup in 2006, long after they had won the last of their four Cup of Nations titles in what was something of an oddity given they had long been one of Africa’s strongest sides.
Since then, they have missed one World Cup - in 2018.
They proved competitive in their debut outing in Germany, reaching the second round, and four years later in South Africa, became the third African nation to reach the quarter-finals.
They were a crossbar away from the semis, but Asamoah Gyan squandered a last-gasp extra-time penalty after a cynical handball from Luis Suarez saved Uruguay from defeat and allowed the South Americans to go on to win via a penalty shootout.
Queiroz said Ghana's football legacy means they have a chance to do well at the finals in Canada, Mexico, and the United States.
“I think that this country has a huge, enormous potential. This is a country of footballers,” he said.
(Writing by Mark Gleeson in Cape Town; Editing by Ken Ferris)
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