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Black Stars Technical Team Revamped 10 hours ago
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Black Stars Technical Team Revamped
After a thorough review of the performance of the Black Stars during last year’s qualifiers for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), the Ghana Football Association has revamped the Technical team of the Stars.
The vastly experienced and accomplished German Manager and former African Cup of Nations Winner (with Cameroon in 2002), Winfried Anton Schafer, has been appointed as Technical Advisor of the team with a mandate to work closely with Head Coach Otto Addo to build a winsome team. Schafer will also play the role of Director of Football for the Football Association.
Winfried Schafer assumes the role having excelled in a managerial career spanning a little over 40 years working with a number of National teams (Cameroon, Thailand and Jamaica) as well as European clubs including Borussia Monchengladbach, Karlsruher SC, VFB Stuttgart and Borussia Berlin.
The highlight of Schafer’s experience with national teams was his winning the African Cup of Nations with Cameroon in 2002.
Schafer has also coached in the United Arab Emirates, working with top clubs namely Al Ain, Al-Ahli Dubai, Baniyas and Al-Khor. His last coaching role was with Al Khor.
Coming on board as Assistant to Otto Addo is the architect of Ghana’s resurgence at the male Under-20 level, Coach Desmond Ofei. The Africa Games gold medal winning Coach and Sports Writers Association of Ghana (SWAG) Coach of the Year 2024, who has swiftly carved a niche for himself as an achiever, is expected to bring his expertise and deep analytical prowess to the team.
Kris Perquy, an experienced Sports Psychologist with 17 years’ experience, takes up the mantle of Psychologist of the team. Perquy was a key resource in the professionalisation of the football psychology of Belgium, where he worked with the Belgian Football Association for 15 years. He also worked as Mental Coach for a number of professional football clubs in Belgium.
The Video Analysis Unit of the team will be headed by Belgian Video Analyst Gregory De Grauwe who has built his expertise and experience in Video Analysis working with football clubs including Sporting Lokeren and K. Beerschot VA. De Grauwe holds a UEFA License B Coaching license as well as a Bachelor’s degree in Physical Education.
Two new vastly experienced Equipment Officers, in the persons of Issah Amadou (Asante Kotoko) and Abdul Rahman Alhassan (Hearts of Oak). have also been named to the team. These two equipment handlers have a combined total of fifty-three years’ experience between them.
Full List of Black Stars Technical Team:
Ashantigold SC has terminated the contracts of three members of its technical team with immediate effect.
The affected officials are head coach and technical director Abdul Karim Zito, assistant coach Ernest Okyere, and goalkeepers’ trainer Robert Dabo.
The decision was announced in a statement signed by the club’s Chief Executive Officer, Edward Kwasi Akuoko.
According to the statement, the decision was taken following a consultative meeting by the Interim Management Committee on Monday, October 26, 2026.
The club says a caretaker coach has been appointed to steer the affairs of the team until a substantive coach/technical director is appointed.
Management expressed gratitude to the affected officials for their contribution and service to the team and wished them well in their future endeavours.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
England captain Harry Kane says it was extra special to be presented with the Ballon d’Or by one of his childhood idols.
Kane made the comment after receiving the prestigious award from former Brazilian striker Ronaldo Nazario.
“Ronaldo was one of my idols growing up,” Kane said.
The Bayern Munich striker described the moment as surreal, being honoured by a player he looked up to as a young footballer.
Kane was announced as the 2026 Ballon d’Or winner on Monday, October 26, at the London Palladium, marking the 70th anniversary of the award and the first time the ceremony was held outside France.
The 33-year-old beat stiff competition from second-placed Kylian Mbappe and Barcelona youngster Lamine Yamal to win his first ever Ballon d’Or.
He becomes the first Englishman to win the coveted individual award in 25 years since Michael Owen in 2001, and only the fifth Englishman ever after Stanley Matthews, Bobby Charlton, Kevin Keegan and Owen.
He is also the first Bayern Munich player to win the award since Karl-Heinz Rummenigge in 1981.
Kane won the award after a remarkable season in which he scored 61 goals in 51 club matches, the most a Bayern player has ever scored in one campaign.
Including England matches, it was 73 goals plus eight assists in 65 matches. His 73 goals is the second-highest single-season total ever behind Lionel Messi’s 82 in 2011-12.
Despite the goal haul, Kane did not win the Champions League or World Cup, with Bayern losing 6-5 on aggregate to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League semi-finals and England losing 2-1 to Argentina in the World Cup semi-final before finishing third.
The award was presented by Brazilian great Ronaldo Nazario, a two-time Ballon d’Or winner himself, adding what was described as a special dimension to Kane’s historic achievement.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
