Former Kudjoe Fianoo, a member of the Black Stars Management Committee, has urged the Ghana Football Association to appoint Winfried Schäfer as interim coach of the Ghana national football team ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The GFA is currently searching for a new head coach following the dismissal of Otto Addo after the March international window.
The decision came after Ghana suffered heavy defeats against Austria national football team and Germany national football team, losing 5–1 in Vienna and 2–1 in Stuttgart respectively.
Speaking in an interview with Kessben Sports, Fianoo suggested that allowing Schäfer, who currently serves as the GFA’s technical director, to handle the team temporarily would be a practical solution while the association searches for a permanent coach.
“The technical director at the GFA understands the Ghanaian terrain, so I’ll suggest we give him the national team to handle on an interim basis while we take our time to look for a new coach,” Fianoo said.
He expressed concern about the limited time available before Ghana’s next international engagements.
“My fear is that we don’t have enough time on our side. Some years ago, he was interested in the Black Stars coaching job, but the position went to Otto Addo and he was given the technical director role instead.”
Fianoo added that appointing Schäfer temporarily would give the GFA enough time to conduct proper due diligence before selecting a long-term coach.
“We should give him the job and take our time to find a coach who can guide us in the short, medium, and long term. We’re becoming a country that appoints a new coach every year,” he added.
Meanwhile, several high-profile coaches have been linked with the vacant position, including Carlos Queiroz, Paulo Bento, and Fernando Santos.
The GFA is expected to announce a new head coach next week as the team prepares for upcoming international friendlies. Ghana will face Mexico national football team in May before taking on Wales national football team on June 2.
The Black Stars will then begin their 2026 World Cup campaign against Panama national football team on June 17, followed by matches against England national football team on June 23 and Croatia national football team on June 27.
Ghana will be hoping to improve on their recent World Cup performances after group-stage exits in both 2014 FIFA World Cup and 2022 FIFA World Cup.