Accra, Sept. 23, GNA - Deputy coach of Ghana's Black Stars, Akwesi Appiah will be in charge of the team when they play Sudan in the qualifiers of the 2012 Africa Cup of Nation in Ghana on October 10.

Ghana has been without a head coach since Milovan Rajevac refused to renew his contract, after the 3-0 victory over Swaziland in the first match of the qualifiers.

Fred Pappoe, Vice President of the Ghana Football Association (GFA) and Chairman of the Black Stars Management Committee told the GNA Sports in an interview in Accra on Thursday.

The Stars Management Member said the GFA is still in the process of appointing a substantive coach for the team, adding that it will be impossible to have one before the Stars take on Sudan on October 10.

"We cannot appoint a coach before October 10, because of the processes involved.

"The time is just too short for us to settle on the right candidate, because we have to take time to scan through the CV's of over 50 applicants, conduct interviews and investigate their background before giving any candidate the nod as the head coach of the Black Stars". He said.

Pappoe said the FA will also contact the referees of any of the candidates that will be selected for their recommendations and this he said requires a lot of time and makes the process an elaborate one.

He said that the FA is bent on going through the entire process thoroughly in a bid to settle on the best coach for the Black Stars to continue with its winning ways.

Pappoe confirmed that Gianfranco Zola is among the over 50 applicants that have applied for the Stars job, saying "I have cited his application".

The FA Vice President said his outfit will also head hunt for coaches outside the list of applicants if they are not satisfied with the quality of candidates who have so far applied for the job.