Black Stars assistant coach Ibrahim Tanko believes restoring confidence, unity and a strong sense of responsibility among the players will be crucial to reviving Ghana’s 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying campaign.
Ghana face a crucial double-header against Somalia later this month, with the two matches presenting an opportunity for the four-time African champions to revive their qualification hopes.
The Black Stars have endured a disappointing start to their Group C campaign, suffering back-to-back defeats against Côte d’Ivoire and The Gambia.
Those setbacks have left Ghana rooted to the bottom of the group without a point, placing the team under immense pressure to secure maximum points from their upcoming encounters.
Despite the difficult situation, Tanko remains convinced that Ghana have the quality and talent to turn their fortunes around. However, he insists that the players must develop a stronger collective mentality and take greater responsibility for representing the country.
“Ghana has a very good squad, with quality players who can compete,” he told Joy Sports.
“What matters is getting everyone to believe in the collective objective, understanding the responsibility of wearing the national colours and translating our potential into performances on the pitch.”
Ghana are scheduled to host Somalia in the first encounter on Thursday, November 12, before the two sides meet again on November 16. Both fixtures are expected to be played in Ghana.
The interim technical team, led by Kim Lars Björkegren, is expected to announce its squad this week as preparations intensify ahead of the important double-header.
The Black Stars are under pressure to secure a return to the continental showpiece after failing to qualify for the 2025 AFCON tournament in Morocco.
Ghana endured a disastrous qualifying campaign for the previous edition, finishing bottom of their group without recording a single victory.
With the 2027 AFCON set to be jointly hosted by Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, another disappointing campaign would represent a major setback for Ghanaian football.
For Tanko and the interim technical team, the immediate task is to rebuild confidence, restore belief within the squad and develop a stronger collective mentality.
The Black Stars must now translate their individual quality into consistent team performances, starting with the two crucial encounters against Somalia.
