Anthony Baffoe remains on the five-member committee looking for Ghana’s next Black Stars head coach, despite earlier reports that he had withdrawn from the process.
Baffoe and some other members had concerns after the Ghana Football Association (GFA) and the Ministry of Sports and Recreation announced the committee before they had officially accepted their roles.
The issue has now been resolved, allowing the committee to continue its work.
The committee was formed after Carlos Queiroz left his position on 1st October and is led by former GFA Vice-President Fred Pappoe.
Baffoe, former Black Stars captain Stephen Appiah, high-performance expert Faisal Chibsah and football administrator and lawyer Agbesi Dzakpasu make up the rest of the panel.
The five members bring different experience to the search for the new coach.
Pappoe was chosen as chairman because of his experience in football administration and leadership. Baffoe brings his experience as a former Ghana international and his current role as General Secretary of the Professional Footballers Association of Ghana.
Appiah brings his experience as a former Black Stars captain and his work with the national team. Chibsah has experience in high-performance management, while Dzakpasu brings knowledge of football administration and the law.
The committee has been asked to find, assess and recommend a suitable coach for the vacant Black Stars job. It is expected to submit its report by Friday, 9 October.
However, the members want some guarantees before completing the process.
They are concerned about recommending a coach who could struggle because of existing problems within Ghana football. They do not want to be blamed for the appointment if the right conditions are not provided for the new coach to succeed.
The committee is discussing the issue with Sports Minister Kofi Adams, including plans to set up a national team supervisory board.
The proposed board would help create the right systems and working conditions for the next Black Stars coach.
The aim is to make sure the team's results are not blamed only on the coach or the search committee, while also ensuring that the new coach gets the support needed to succeed.
The committee is expected to hold a final meeting to discuss the remaining issues.
If the requested guarantees are not given, more than one member could reportedly consider leaving the process.
By: Pascal Amoah
