Roger De Sa, the right-hand man of Ghana head coach Carlos Queiroz, has opened up about the daunting task of preparing the Black Stars for the 2026 FIFA World Cup with limited preparation time.
Speaking to KickOff Magazine, the South African coach emphasized the difficulty of picking a final squad from a vast pool of players while having only about two weeks to get the team ready.
“I’ve been watching a lot of films, videos, watching different players with different clubs,” De Sa said.
“The biggest challenge is obviously to select a team without having really enough time. And obviously, the preparations are also very short. You’ve got about two weeks to prepare your team.”
De Sa, who is expected to play a key role on Queiroz’s technical bench at the World Cup, highlighted the complexity of scouting and assembling a squad capable of competing on the global stage. With Ghanaian players scattered across leagues in Europe, Asia, and Africa, narrowing down the list while ensuring tactical cohesion is a race against the clock.
The comments come as the Black Stars finalise their plans for the tournament, where they have been drawn in a challenging Group L alongside England, Croatia, and Panama. For De Sa and Queiroz, the next few weeks will be a critical period of evaluation, communication, and decision-making.
Despite the hurdles, De Sa’s focus remains on building a competitive unit.
“You’ve got about two weeks to prepare your team,” he reiterated, underlining the reality facing many World Cup-bound nations. The hope for Ghana is that the experience and tactical acumen of the coaching staff can overcome the time constraints and produce a squad ready to make an impact in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Source: Ghanasoccernet