Queiroz played to our strengths, not our dreams – Sannie Daara

Former GFA Communications Director, Ibrahim Sannie Daara has defended Black Stars head coach Carlos Queiroz following Ghana's elimination from the 2026 FIFA World Cup, insisting the Portuguese tactician got the best out of an injury-hit squad.

Speaking on the team's campaign, Sannie Daara said Queiroz tailored his tactics to the players available.

"He played according to the strengths we had. Imagine the number of our top players who were injured. Look at Kudus, look at Djiku, Mohammed Salisu and Kofi Traoré. He couldn't have played the way we would perhaps play if we had Kudus”he stated.

According to him, Ghana's squad was significantly weakened before and during the tournament, making it unrealistic to expect the Black Stars to challenge for the title.

Sannie Daara maintained that the team exceeded expectations, pointing to the victory over Panama, the draw against England and qualification to the knockout stage before losing to Colombia.

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"We all knew the strength of our squad ahead of the competition, and we cannot punch above our weight. I would even say we did much, much better than we had expected”he added.

He expressed surprise at calls from some supporters for Queiroz to be dismissed, describing the criticism as unfair.

"I'm honestly surprised that some Ghanaians are saying this person must go and this person should be sacked. To be honest, I think it was a decent showing by the Black Stars”he added.

The former GFA communications chief also blamed football administrators for creating unrealistic expectations by publicly declaring that Ghana would win the World Cup.

"Our football leaders must not be the ones saying we are going to the World Cup to win the Cup. You hype the team up, and people begin to expect us to go further than perhaps our strength will permit."

He urged Ghanaians to judge the team's performance within the context of the injuries suffered and the quality of opposition faced, insisting the Black Stars deserve support rather than criticism.

"Given the group we found ourselves in and the fact that a lot of our key players were injured, I think we did quite well. It isn't fair on the team or the coaching staff."

"I think he would get a seven from me. Seven out of ten."

PAH/JE