‘He’s a Hard Coach’ – Paintsil on Carlos Queiroz
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‘He’s a Hard Coach’ – John Paintsil on Carlos Queiroz Ahead of Black Stars Reappointment
John Paintsil has been keeping an eye on Carlos Queiroz for a while now, and he’s not shy about admitting what he’s picked up from the Portuguese tactician. As Queiroz returns to lead Ghana’s Black Stars once more, Paintsil says the coach’s discipline, structure, and tactical mindset have genuinely shaped his own path as a coach.
The Ghana Football Association (GFA) confirmed on Wednesday that Queiroz has agreed to come back as head coach, following the end of his initial contract after Ghana’s 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign.
Paintsil worked closely alongside Queiroz during that World Cup run, and he sees the experience as a real learning opportunity a chance to soak up knowledge from a coach with a genuinely international résumé.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with 3Sports, Paintsil didn’t hesitate to draw parallels between his own approach and Queiroz’s. You know I’m a very disciplined person. He’s also disciplined. And he’s a hard coach, he said.
Beyond discipline, Paintsil pointed to the structure Queiroz builds around himself, and the fact that their conversations rarely strayed far from football itself. He’s got a very good structure around himself. We always talk about the game, he said.
Paintsil, who’s building his own coaching career, admitted he’s already borrowed some of Queiroz’s methods and folded them into his own style. He has his way of operating, I have my way of operating, he explained. But when I stand to coach, I have to fall into his philosophy, and work under him. But I have learned a lot, and I’ve taken more from his side, adding to mine.
Queiroz’s return marks a new chapter in what was already a brief but eventful first spell with Ghana. He stepped in back in April, replacing Otto Addo with just 72 days to prepare before the World Cup began. Despite that tight turnaround, he still guided Ghana through the group stage and into the Round of 32.
His appointment also added yet another line to an already remarkable coaching résumé. Queiroz has previously coached Portugal, Iran, Colombia, and Egypt, and became only the second coach in history to lead teams at five consecutive World Cups when he took the reins with Ghana in 2026.
For Paintsil, the value of the experience goes beyond tactics on the training pitch. I think it’s good to learn from those who are ahead of you, he said, summing up how he views his time working under the Portuguese coach.
The GFA confirmed Queiroz’s reappointment in a statement released Wednesday night, noting that further details of his new deal will follow in due course. As for Paintsil, he’s expected to remain part of the coach’s backroom staff going forward.
