The Ghana manager is rolling the dice on his midfield engine

With the 2026 World Cup breathing down our necks, national team bosses are currently caught in a frantic scramble to assemble squads that won't embarrass their nations on the global stage. Carlos Queiroz, the latest pilot of the Black Stars, has made his stance on Thomas Partey crystal clear. Despite the lingering fitness concerns that have haunted the midfielder’s recent campaigns, Queiroz claims to have no qualms about his selection. It is a bold move, or perhaps just a desperate one, depending on which side of the fence you sit.

We have seen this movie before, and it rarely ends with the protagonist lifting a trophy. Remember when Gareth Southgate clung to Harry Maguire through his darkest periods at Old Trafford? It suggests a manager prioritizing comfort and past reputation over the cold, hard reality of current form and physical durability. Partey, when fully fit, is a locomotive capable of controlling the tempo against the best midfields in Europe. But the clock is at 9 days until kickoff, and expecting a player who has spent more time in the medical room than the center circle to suddenly turn into an anchor is optimistic at best.

The anatomy of a selection gamble

Queiroz is betting his tournament on a player whose availability has been erratic for the better part of two seasons. Critics will point to the intensity of the modern game, where players are essentially turbocharged machines meant to cover 12 kilometers a match without breaking a sweat. When you look at the technical reports from his recent outings, the drop-off in defensive transitions is noticeable. He loses a step, the backline gets exposed, and suddenly the chaos starts leaking in everywhere like a cheap kitchen faucet.

Why stick with the known quantity when the risks far outweigh the rewards? There is an argument that Partey brings a veteran presence that younger, hungrier prospects cannot replicate. Yet, in high-stakes environments, experience without mobility is a trap. We watched Manchester United collapse under similar logic when they refused to move on from aging legs, and look how that worked out for them. If Queiroz wants to make a splash in this tournament, he needs his best athletes, not his best history books.

The shadow of the past vs the reality of the pitch

This situation smells like the kind of stubbornness that coaches get fired for before the group stage even concludes. It is reminiscent of the frustration fans feel when their club refuses to address glaring holes, something I wrote about earlier this summer regarding the absolute madness unfolding at Stamford Bridge. When you ignore the data in favor of a gut feeling, you aren't just betting on a player; you are betting against the physics of football. The acceleration just isn't there anymore, and that is where battles are lost.

Perhaps the motivation is tactical, using Partey as a stationary pivot to dictate from deep. Even then, the reliance on a single player who might not last more than forty-five minutes is a structural liability. You don't have to look far to see how quickly things can derail when the core of your team is a fragile glass house. Take a look at the recent mess at Anfield for proof that when the plan fails, it fails hard and fast. If the Black Stars want to do more than just make up the numbers, they need a plan that doesn't rely on miracles from the physio table.

Maybe I am just a cynic who has spent too many weekends watching managers overthink their own brilliance while the fans pay the price. But there is a difference between being loyal to your stars and being delusional about the state of their ligaments. Queiroz has put himself in the spotlight by backing Partey fully. If this goes south in the opening match, the vultures in Accra will be circling before the final whistle even blows. For the sake of the tournament, I hope the gamble pays off, but I would not bet my house on it just yet.