Black Stars set-piece coach and chief video analyst, Gregory De Grauwe has disclosed that assistant coach Desmond Ofei played a pivotal role in his appointment to Ghana’s national team.
The Belgian analyst joined the Black Stars in March 2025 and has played a crucial role in improving Ghana’s efficiency from set-pieces, significantly contributing to the team’s qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
In an interview with Sporty FM, De Grauwe shared that his professional connection with assistant coach Desmond Ofei started several years ago in Belgium.
“We worked together at Lokeren, I was the video analyst for the first team, while Desmond coached the reserves. That’s how we met about five years ago,” he explained.
Their ongoing contact eventually led to an invitation from Ofei, which opened the door for De Grauwe’s recruitment by the Ghana Football Association.
“He asked, ‘Greg, do you want to come work for us?’ A few days later, I had an online meeting with GFA President Mr. Kurt Okraku, and everything happened very quickly,” he recalled.
This swift progression resulted in De Grauwe joining the Black Stars technical staff. Since March, Ghana has emerged as one of Africa’s most effective teams on dead-ball situations, with more than half of their goals coming from set-pieces, underscoring his influence.
Ghana secured their place at the 2026 World Cup by finishing top of Group I with 25 points from 10 matches after a 1-0 victory over Comoros.
Now, the Black Stars look forward eagerly to the World Cup draw on December 5 in Washington, D.C., hoping for a favourable group. De Grauwe described working with Ghana’s talented players as an honour and a highlight of his career.
