Carlos Queiroz Rejects Resignation Calls After Ghana’s Defeat

Ghana head coach Carlos Queiroz rejected calls for his resignation after the Black Stars suffered a 4-2 defeat to The Gambia in their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier.

Ghana appeared in control after taking a 2-0 lead through Ernest Nuamah and Felix Afena-Gyan, but The Gambia staged a second-half comeback to hand the Black Stars their second consecutive defeat in the qualifying campaign. The result has increased pressure on Queiroz, with calls growing for the Portuguese coach to step down.

Speaking at a post-match press conference, Queiroz apologised to Ghana supporters for the collapse but argued that his resignation would not solve the wider problems affecting the country’s football.

“When results like this (happen), the option to resign is the most easy solution. 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,” Queiroz said.

“I don’t have that belief, but that is a decision that should be (for) the board of the federation to analyse and decide with me.”

Queiroz insisted that he remains capable of leading the team, although he acknowledged that the Ghana Football Association must assess whether the necessary conditions exist for him to continue.

“I am capable of doing the job. Whether we have the conditions or not, that is something different,” he said.

The Portuguese tactician also dismissed the suggestion that the defeat had made him a failure, saying the result should provide lessons for the team ahead of their next matches.

“This defeat doesn’t make me a loser. This defeat makes me more alert for the lessons that we take from the games and what we have to do in the future, with me or without me,” he said.

Queiroz now wants Ghana to regroup for their upcoming double-header against Somalia as they seek to revive their AFCON qualification campaign.

“And in my life I have always had one approach, very simple, in football. Some coaches, they admit they lose. I don’t ever admit that I lose. I have a result that was not positive. But for me, you win or you learn,” he added.