Former Youth and Sports Minister Nii Lante Vanderpuye has expressed his doubts that appointing Pep Guardiola as Ghana’s coach would solve the problem of player selection influenced by the Ghana Football Association.
The Odododiodio Member of Parliament believes that, even under former coach Chris Hughton, the GFA still had a heavy hand in determining who made it onto the Ghana squad.
Vanderpuye is advocating for a coach who understands the Ghanaian system, rather than just bringing in a high-profile foreign coach.
He raised the question of what the nation is aiming to achieve with its coaching choices, emphasizing, “Is it just a matter of bringing in a foreign coach?” He also pointed out that the influence and manipulation of local coaches by the GFA is still ongoing, regardless of who is in charge.
He expressed skepticism that even top international coaches like Herve Renard or Jose Mourinho would be free from GFA manipulation if they were to lead Ghana.
Vanderpuye’s comments come in the wake of Ghana’s disappointing performance at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Côte d’Ivoire, where the team suffered a historic collapse.
