The Ghana Football Association (GFA) has appointed Desmond Ofei, head coach of Ghana’s U-20 men’s national team, to take up the role of assistant coach for the Black Stars, after the dismissal of Joseph Laumann.
Laumann, a Moroccan-born German coach, was initially brought in to assist Otto Addo after the dissolution of the Chris Hughton-led technical team, which was disbanded after Ghana’s disappointing 2023 AFCON campaign in Ivory Coast. However, the Black Stars failed to qualify for the 2025 AFCON, finishing at the bottom of their qualification group, while Angola and Sudan secured their spots for the tournament in Morocco.
In an official statement released on Tuesday, the GFA confirmed Ofei’s appointment as part of the newly restructured Black Stars technical team, which is still headed by Otto Addo and supported by experienced German coach Winfried Schafer as a technical advisor.
The statement highlighted Ofei’s achievements, describing him as the “architect of Ghana’s resurgence at the male Under-20 level.” It also recognized his recent accomplishments, including winning gold at the 2023 African Games and being named the Sports Writers Association of Ghana (SWAG) Coach of the Year for 2024.
At just 37 years old, Ofei holds a UEFA A (Level 4) coaching license and has a wealth of experience, having worked as the U-18 and U-21 coach at Royal Antwerp FC, as well as head coach for Lokeren U-21 and Lusitano SAD. He has also gained coaching and scouting experience across several countries, including Belgium, England, Holland, France, Portugal, Nigeria, Kenya, and South Africa.
In addition to his new role, Ofei will continue serving as the head of high performance at the GFA’s Technical Directorate.
Meanwhile, former Black Stars defender John Paintsil will maintain his position as one of the assistant coaches.