Embracing the position with the Black Stars was a tough decision, reveals former assistant coach Roger De Sa.

[caption id="attachment_1321586" align="alignnone" width="864"] Roger De Sa[/caption]

Former assistant coach of Ghana, Roger de Sa, has shared insights into the challenges he and Carlos Queiroz's coaching staff encountered while getting the Black Stars ready for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The South African coach joined Queiroz's team in April, just a few months ahead of the tournament, aiming to turn around Ghana's fortunes after a tough series of results.

Although they began positively under the new technical team, the Black Stars' journey ended in the Round of 32 with a close 1-0 loss to Colombia.

De Sa pointed out that the main hurdle was stepping into a role with a team that had suffered a string of poor performances and had minimal time to prepare for the sport's premier event.

In an interview on 947's MSW, the former Orlando Pirates coach emphasized that shifting the team's mindset was a crucial focus from the outset.

"I believe that coaching always presents various obstacles, and for us, the first challenge was taking over a team that had experienced six consecutive defeats. That was an immediate and significant hurdle," De Sa remarked. The ex-goalkeeper further noted that fostering a winning mentality was essential, especially considering the complexity of managing a squad primarily consisting of players based in Europe. "We were determined to change the narrative; the first objective was to instill a winning mindset instead of a losing one, and to select a team that is 99 percent composed of players scattered across Europe is a considerable challenge," he explained.

The late arrival of the technical staff meant they had a short window to execute their strategies and foster team unity ahead of the World Cup, with many of Ghana's pivotal players coming in from various clubs in Europe.

Following their exit from the tournament, Queiroz and his coaching staff announced their decision to step down from their positions as Ghana's national team coaches, concluding their brief period in charge of the Black Stars.