We came here to deliver, not to walk in the park - Black Stars coach ahead of Cote d'Ivoire clash

Black Stars Head Coach Carlos Queiroz says Ghana has put behind them the trauma of missing the last Africa Cup of Nations and is focused on beginning the journey to the 2027 AFCON with a positive result against Cote d'Ivoire in Bouake.

Queiroz, who led Egypt to the final of the Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon in 2021, believes his team travelled to Bouake to deliver and not to walk in the park as they prepare to face Cote d'Ivoire in Thursday's 2027 Africa Cup of Nations Group C opener at the Stade de la Paix.

He was speaking to the media during the pre-match press conference on Wednesday.

The full transcript is published below:

On being in Boauke

It is a pleasure and an honour for us from Ghana to be here and play this match against Côte d'Ivoire. We just arrived this morning and the welcome was brilliant from the chants from everybody here in the city. So, we are just preparing ourselves for the big match that we have in front of us tomorrow.

On absence of key ad its possible effect

First of all, as a professional football coach, we don't like to see players from Ghana, the Ivory Coast or Portugal or Spain get injured. We love to see the best players on the pitch all the time. But that is not possible. Sometimes it's not possible. But what is possible and what we did is to be sure that we brought here a lot of talented players full of enthusiasm and great talents from Ghana. So, the most important players for our team are the ones that are here today. The ones that are injured, we just need to wish them a fast recovery and wish them that they get back to the game as soon as possible.

On the team he will parade against the Elephants

We are a strong team, we have a lot of potential, and we have full confidence that the players that we call to the national team are ready to perform.

On what it means to qualify for the 2027 AFCON after missing the previous one

We are here to play, to have a specific competition. All national teams in this moment today have one specific competition called qualification. That's the first cup that we have to win. This game is just one step on our journey to that dream. Our goals are clear; there is no doubt about that. We came here to play a good match against a great team, great players, good coaches. What I can say is that I think the fans will enjoy the game tomorrow because we have also great players, great staff in our team, great potential. This is what is good in football. The fans will have the opportunity to enjoy a great match tomorrow. I am sure that all teams that want to win, I expect and I hope that the Ghana team is the team with more inspiration to get the right result here tomorrow.

On opportunity for young players to excel in the absence of the notable ones

It shows what football is about. Today we are living in the moment. We have some players with more experience and some young players that are coming. In the past, these experienced players were the young players of the past. Tomorrow the young players will be the experienced players of the future. This is part of the game. That's how the game grows up, how the game progresses. There is always a generation of players to renew, to refresh. Tomorrow, we have a solid team with some experienced players on the pitch. We have a couple of great potential, great, talented players also. They are full of enthusiasm. They are looking for an opportunity to shine, to serve the national team.

On what to expect from the team

Let's be clear. One thing is that in the squad we have some young players. Some players perform very well in the clubs. They have a lot of talent. But another thing is not to confuse competition with fun. We didn't come here for education or development. We came here to deliver. Don't confuse my words with facts. We have also some young talented players that came recently to the national team. We didn't come here to walk in the park. No, we came here to deliver, compete and play against a great team. And try to play better than them in order to have the result. I understand that you mentioned the fact that last time we did not qualify. That's our job, to get rid of that trauma. It looks like in Ghana we are living the trauma that we did not qualify. That happens with Egypt, with Nigeria. As far as I know, this is the third time in a row that Italy did not qualify for the World Cup. But they did not stop football. As far as I know, they keep on playing football. So, it's not a trauma, it's just part of the competition. And this is something that this game, sorry to add this, sometimes this game goes a little bit nut. Because the fact that you are a good team, a great nation of football, and one time you did not qualify, doesn't mean that Ghana will lose its history, its reputation or its prestige. It's just part of the game. To lose one game doesn't make you a loser. It just means that you keep on trying to win. Because the only people that lose and win games are the people inside the pitch. So, let's do that job together. Get rid of that trauma or whatever. It's not a trauma. It happens, and we have to correct it. And now Ghana are on the track to qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations. This is the most important journey that we have in front of us.

On the Cote d'Ivoire team that we are going to meet tomorrow

If I emphasise three or four, five wonderful, positive things about the football of Ivory Coast, it looks like I'm going to talk also about the Ghana team too. Because the profile of football of Ivory Coast with skilful players, players with a lot of power, inspiration, dribble, creativity, players that they like to play attacking football and they like to enjoy it. All these references to Ivory Coast are exactly the same references that I can also make about Ghana players. So, that's why I'm excited to see what will happen tomorrow in the game because I'm sure the first winners of the game tomorrow will be the fans. The fans will enjoy a lot to see great players on the pitch.

On the game

It will be a very, very tight game. I know it's a local derby. We understand it's a local derby when Ivory Coast plays against Ghana and Ghana against Ivory Coast. So, with such potential and passion of players on the pitch, we expect a great match. So, again, what I also hope, and I wish is that I'll be able to lead my team to be the team with better inspiration. I hope and I trust that we can be on the day the best team to play football because in football, when we are the best team on the pitch, we have more chances to win. That's my hope and my wish for tomorrow.

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