Ghana head coach Carlos Queiroz has made qualification for the Africa Cup of Nations the immediate priority as he begins a new chapter with the Black Stars.
Queiroz says Ghana must remain fully focused on the upcoming AFCON qualifiers before thinking about bigger targets.
The Portuguese coach said the team must approach the qualifiers with determination and avoid taking anything for granted.
According to him, Ghana cannot discuss winning the AFCON title before securing qualification for the tournament.
“We must have ambition, but also humility,” Queiroz told the Ghana Football Association’s official website.
“We cannot talk about winning AFCON when we have not yet qualified. We have to work, grow, compete and earn our destiny.”
The Black Stars are entering a new phase after their recent World Cup campaign, with Queiroz expected to build on the experience gained from the tournament.
He believes the team has a strong group of players and a positive national team culture.
However, he also acknowledged the level of competition Ghana faces on the continent.
Queiroz pointed to leading African national teams with players competing regularly at the highest level in Europe as the standard Ghana must work towards.
The coach has also stressed the importance of selecting players who are active and physically prepared.
He said his technical team closely monitored players before making the squad selection.
Players who are in competitive action, according to Queiroz, are better prepared to meet the demands of international football.
