I am sad with Ghana's absence at 2025 FCON - Technical advisor Winfred Schaffer

Newly appointed technical advisor of the Black Stars, Winfred Schaffer has expressed his disappointment over the team's failure to qualify for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournament.

The four times African champions for the first time in two decades failed to qualify for the continent's most prestigious tournament after finishing at the bottom of its group.

Ghana recorded just three points having recorded three defeats and three draws.

Recreating to Black Stars' absence at the tournament that is scheduled to be hosted in Morocco later in December this year, the German gaffer who won the AFCON with Cameroon in 2002 said he is saddened by the team's failure to qualify

“I am a good follower of African football due to my previous experience with Cameroon and my winning of the African Cup of Nations title, and I am sad about Ghana’s absence, and this is all I can say now,” he said in an interview as reported by AfricaSoccer.

In an attempt to improve the technical team ahead of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, the Ghana FA has drafted Desmond Offei, the current head coach of Ghana’s U20 team to the technical team. He replaced Joseph Lauman.

He will work alongside assistants John Paintsil and Fatawu Dauda, who have retained their roles under head coach Otto Addo.

Kris Perquy and Gregory De Grauwe have also been added to the technical team as the team's psychologist and video analyst respectively.

The Black Stars' next competitive matches will be against Chad and Madagascar in March in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers which is scheduled for next month.