The first major decision facing Ghana after their World Cup exit may have already received its strongest endorsement from inside the Black Stars dressing room, with Captain Jordan Ayew urging the Ghana Football Association to retain Carlos Queiroz beyond his expiring contract.
Ayew believes the experienced 73-year-old has already transformed the team's competitiveness in barely three months at the helm and insists replacing him now would halt the progress already made and interrupt a rebuilding process that, in his view, was already showing visible signs of progress.
He insists the coach deserves the time and trust to complete the rebuilding job he has begun after steering Ghana back into the FIFA World Cup knockout stage for the first time in 16 years.
"I want Carlos Queiroz to stay. I believe he is the right man to take us to the next level," Ayew declared after Ghana's 1-0 Round of 32 defeat to Colombia in Kansas City, a result that also marked the expiry of the coach's four-month contract.
"He's done a great job. To come and achieve what he's done in this short time says a lot. I hope he stays."
Ayew has played under multiple national team coaches during a 16-year international career that has spanned three World Cups. Few players are better placed to judge whether genuine progress has been made, and coming from Ghana's most-capped player, with a record 124 international appearances, the endorsement carries considerable weight.
Tactics bearing fruits
The captain argued that Queiroz's methods were only beginning to take root, cautioning that genuine transformation in international football could not be judged after just a handful of weeks, particularly with the coach managing just four competitive matches and an international friendly just ahead of the World Cup.
"He came in after a month or two, and we were implementing what he wanted us to do," Ayew explained.
"Sometimes, you need up to six months to understand your coach and implement what he wants you to do."
The England-based star’s message went beyond backing the gaffer but urged Ghanaian football to embrace continuity rather than another managerial reset, stressing that patience was essential if the Black Stars were to become genuine contenders again, particularly at the continental level.
"The manager needs time," he said. "He's a very good manager, and you need to give him time to do his job.
"Don't forget that we have a new manager. He only came in about two months ago and has been trying to implement his style. The players are still adjusting, and you don't just adapt in one or two months. Football doesn't work like that."
Queiroz inherited the national team just 72 days before the World Cup after replacing Otto Addo, signing an initial four-month contract reportedly worth $100,000 per month.
His immediate mandate was ambitious: lead Ghana to the quarter-finals and earn a longer-term appointment.
Although that target ultimately proved beyond reach following Ghana’s defeat to Colombia, Ayew said the Portuguese restored organisation, discipline and belief to a side that had struggled for consistency.
Ghana's run to the Round of 32 represented the country's best World Cup performance since the historic quarter-final campaign in South Africa in 2010, despite arriving at the tournament depleted by injuries to several key players and undergoing another managerial transition.
Better in defence
Ayew believes the foundations have now been laid.
"We came here and showed that, defensively, we were better," he said.
"But we fell a bit short offensively, so now we have to find the right balance. It's all about work and patience."
His assessment reflects the wider picture of Ghana's campaign, as the Black Stars entered the tournament in North America without some influential players, including playmaker Mohammed Kudus, and with a squad still adapting to a new tactical framework.
Under Queiroz, they became noticeably more organised defensively, conceding fewer clear chances and displaying a discipline that had often been absent in recent campaigns.
But the same evolution never materialised in attack. The Black Stars scored only twice throughout the tournament, with neither goal coming from a recognised forward.
Their lack of attacking fluency reached its lowest point against Colombia, where Ayew, Antoine Semenyo and the rest of Ghana's frontline failed to register a single shot on target.
Ayew acknowledged those shortcomings, admitting the team's next challenge was to marry their improved defensive structure with greater attacking efficiency.
"We managed to qualify from the group while we were still improving," he noted.
For a player who has represented Ghana for almost 16 years since making his senior debut in September 2010, Ayew believes the team's trajectory is encouraging despite the painful exit.
Focus attention on AFCON
Looking ahead, he called on the Black Stars to channel the disappointment into the next phase of their development as attention turns to the Africa Cup of Nations and future World Cup qualifying commitments.
"We need to take this on the chin, focus on the future and move forward," he said.
"Now we need to focus on the qualifiers and, obviously, the next AFCON, and continue improving so that we can be really competitive when we get to the next AFCON."
The 34-year-old leaves the tournament under increasing scrutiny after failing to produce his best form in the United States, with calls growing for Ghana to accelerate the transition towards a younger generation.
Despite the criticism, Ayew — Ghana's third-highest all-time scorer with 33 international goals and the team's leading contributor during the World Cup qualifiers with seven goals and seven assists — refused to discuss whether his own international future had reached a crossroads.
Instead, he insisted the priority should be honest reflection on Ghana's campaign rather than personal decisions.
"Right now, it's time to go home, get some rest, and then see what's next," he said.
