Sports ministry pushing for local Black Stars coach

The Ministry of Youth and Sports have given indication that a Ghanaian manager is next in line to become the next head coach of Ghana’s senior male football team, the Black Stars.

The Ghana Football Association has received over 60 applications for the vacant position following the departure of Israeli manager Avram Grant.

A number of local coaches including Bashir Hayford, Abdul Razak and former Black Stars coach Kwesi Appiah have submitted applications for the job.

Current head coach of Sudanese top-flight side Al Khartoum, Kwesi Appiah has been highlighted as the coveted local manager the Ministry would love to see return to the position.

He made history when he became the first Ghanaian coach to qualify the Black Stars to a world cup in the Brazil 2014 edition.

“It is very important to make it clear that this is the position of the Ministry.

“It is a collective decision and not a one member committee and so the Ministry’s decision cannot and will not be binding.

“The decision will be taken after all consultations have been done.

“In the unlikely event that the GFA or the search team cannot find a competent local coach that is when we will turn our attention to an expatriate coach.

‘The Ministry feels that it is time the national team was handed to a Ghanaian,” revealed Ministry spokesperson Elvis Adjei Baah in an interview with Citi Sports.

The GFA is expected to name a substantive coach in the coming days.

Maxwell Konadu will hold the position on an interim basis till a substantive manager is named.