Dwight Yorke eyes Black Stars job after Queiroz departure

Former Manchester United striker Dwight Yorke has expressed interest in becoming Ghana’s next head coach, citing the country’s footballing history and the quality of players available to help rebuild the Black Stars.

Yorke, who has emerged as one of the names linked with the vacant position following Carlos Queiroz’s departure on 1 October, believes Ghana have the talent to succeed but need a stronger team culture, better organisation and greater unity.

“It’s a job I’d be interested in, given Ghana’s history and the players available,” Yorke told The Guardian.

“You look at the squad and your eyes open even wider,” he added.

The Ghana Football Association (GFA) is searching for a successor to Queiroz, with former Morocco head coach Walid Regragui, Senegal’s Pape Thiaw and Aliou Cissé also reportedly among the candidates under consideration.

However, the GFA has not confirmed whether it has formally approached Yorke about the position.

The Black Stars are facing a difficult period following consecutive defeats in their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign, leaving them bottom of their group without a point.

Ghana suffered a 2-0 defeat away to Côte d’Ivoire before losing 4-2 at home to The Gambia, despite taking a two-goal lead in the match.

The results represent a setback for a side that reached the last 32 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup before losing 1-0 to Colombia.

Yorke believes the problems extend beyond the players on the pitch, suggesting that a lack of cohesion has affected the team’s overall direction.

“From the outside, Ghana sometimes looks disjointed,” he said.

The former Trinidad and Tobago head coach believes restoring unity and establishing a clear identity would be central to improving the team’s performances.

“The talent is there. Build the culture and get the players to buy in and the football will follow,” Yorke said.

He also stressed the importance of accountability, transparency and consistency in his approach to management.

“I’d make sure that what I say is what I do,” he added.

The GFA has appointed Black Queens head coach Kim Björkegren to take temporary charge of the men’s team for their upcoming double-header against Somalia in the 2027 AFCON qualifiers.

Yorke’s interest in the Ghana job comes after spells in management with Australian club Macarthur FC and the Trinidad and Tobago national team.

His first managerial experience came in May 2022 when he coached the A-League All Stars against Barcelona in Sydney. The exhibition match attracted more than 70,000 spectators, with Barcelona winning 3-2.

He was appointed head coach of Macarthur in July 2022 and guided the Australian club to its first Australia Cup title just three months into his tenure.

However, his time at the club ended in January 2023 when he was dismissed. A FIFA chamber subsequently ruled that Macarthur had terminated his contract without just cause, a decision upheld by the Court of Arbitration for Sport in 2024.

Yorke later took charge of Trinidad and Tobago in November 2024, seeking to improve the team’s recruitment and revive interest in the national side while pursuing qualification for the World Cup.

Although Trinidad and Tobago failed to reach the tournament, Yorke has defended his overall record, pointing to improvements beyond the final qualification outcome.

“I was given three tasks and completed two,” he said.

He also believes his tenure helped strengthen the national team by attracting players with Trinidadian and Tobagonian heritage who were born in the United States.

“I left Trinidadian football in a far better place than I found it,” Yorke said.

The 54-year-old believes Ghana could similarly benefit from identifying eligible players in the diaspora, pointing to the contributions of Antoine Semenyo and Brandon Thomas-Asante as examples of the value such recruitment can bring.

For Yorke, however, recruiting players is only one part of the solution. Establishing trust between the technical team and the squad would be equally important.

His potential appointment would represent a new chapter for the Black Stars as they seek to recover from their disappointing start to the 2027 AFCON qualifiers.

While the GFA has yet to confirm an approach, Yorke has made his position clear: he is interested in the opportunity and believes Ghana possess the resources to return to a stronger position.

The challenge, should he be appointed, would be to turn that potential into consistent performances and results.