Frederick Acheampong, a member of the Ghana Football Association (GFA) Executive Council and recently nominated as a parliamentary candidate under the ruling government, elucidated the challenges in securing Herve Renard as the new coach.
The search for a new coach intensified after the dismissal of Chris Hughton following the Black Stars' underwhelming performance at AFCON 2023.
With less than three weeks for the five-member committee to appoint a coach for the national team's restructuring, the spotlight remains on Herve Renard, a two-time AFCON winner highly favoured by Ghanaians.
Renard, who has been eyeing the Ghana job, has a strong connection with the country, having been part of Claude Le Roy’s technical team during Ghana’s bid to host and win AFCON in 2008.
Renard later went on to achieve success as a coach, leading Zambia and Ivory Coast to AFCON victories in 2012 and 2015, respectively.
Despite his expressed interest in coaching Ghana, Acheampong outlined the financial constraints the GFA faces in appointing Renard.
"Hervé Renard has always been the preferred choice of the FA since the departure of CK Akonnor, and while the coach is willing to coach Ghana, the economic circumstances make it difficult for us to hire him," Acheampong said on Akoma FM.
"We approached him prior to the World Cup; at the time, he was with Saudi Arabia. He was interested in the Ghana project, but we couldn't afford his wage, so we hired Milovan Rajevic."
Acheampong reiterated Renard's status as the primary priority for the GFA but acknowledged the challenges posed by the country's economic position.
The committee, under the leadership of GFA Vice President Mark Addo, has set a deadline of February 2, 2024, for interested coach applicants. The goal is to find a suitable replacement swiftly to steer the national team back to success.