Sports Editor of GhanaWeb, Joel Eshun has said Black Stars coach Carlos Queiroz should be blamed for consistently selecting underperforming players instead of fans targeting individuals like Jordan Ayew after Ghana’s 1-0 defeat to Colombia in the Round of 32 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
According to Joel Eshun, while Jordan Ayew's performance against Colombia was poor and below expectations, the greater responsibility for Ghana's elimination rests with the Black Stars coach, who opted to keep the captain on the pitch for 79 minutes despite his struggles.
Speaking after Ghana's exit from the tournament, Eshun argued that team selection and substitutions are the sole responsibility of the coach.
He noted that although Jordan Ayew failed to make the desired impact against Colombia, it was the responsibility of the technical team to recognise the situation and make early changes that would improve Ghana's chances of getting back into the game.
"Jordan didn't select himself to play the game, nor did he keep himself on the pitch for 79 minutes. It was the coach who decided to start him, even though the player was not performing and had not been performing well throughout the tournament," Joel Eshun said.
He added that the Black Stars' technical bench should have reacted earlier by introducing players capable of offering greater energy and attacking threat, rather than allowing Ayew to remain on the field for most of the contest.
"So, at the end of the day, you have to blame the Black Stars coach before Jordan Ayew because the coach is the one who makes the decisions and it was Carlos Queiroz who decided to allow him to play 79 minutes even though he was not performing," added.
Ghana bowed out of the World Cup following the narrow defeat to Colombia, bringing an end to a campaign that saw the Black Stars reach the knockout stage but ultimately fall short of progressing to the last 16.
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