“Nora Hauptle’s impact on Ghana’s team cannot be underestimated” – Jennifer Cudjoe

Ghana’s senior female team midfielder, Jennifer Cudjoe has admitted that, the impact of former head coach, Nora Hauptle on the team cannot be underestimated.

Hauptle vacated her role after failing to extend her contract with the Ghana Football Association (GFA) after two years on the job. She qualified the Black Queens for the Africa Women’s championship in Morocco.

The Swiss trainer subsequently joined the Copper Queens of Zambia as the head coach, leading them to the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.

Speaking on TV3, Cudjoe reflected on Hauptle’s influence and described her as the best coach she has worked with and admitted that her exit was a tough moment for the team.

“As a player, you go through different types of coaching, and you have a different bond with coaches. Every coach makes an impact on your life, so she definitely made an impact on my life and the rest of the players. It was tough, but we still had to find a way to keep working and focusing on the goals,” she said.

“Being a Black Queens player, it was tough. She was one of the best coaches we had. She changed the game for us—the way she managed players and how we played. But I also think it was time for her to go. She went, but she’s still one of the coaches I loved playing under.”

Cudjoe was also quick to commend the work of new head coach Kim Lars, who led the Black Queens to a bronze medal at WAFCON 2024.

“Now we have a new coach who’s also doing a whole lot of work to change our game. It was tough for sure, but as players, you have to find ways to move on,” she noted.