Black Stars head coach Otto Addo has opened up about his decision to exclude Thomas Partey from the squad for the upcoming matches, revealing that a private conversation with the player was central to the decision, aimed at protecting his well-being.
Addo addressed the media, emphasizing his commitment to confidentiality but offering some insight into the reasoning behind his choice. “I had a confidential talk with Thomas. I am the coach who always wants to protect the players,” Addo said. “The whole point for me was getting the understanding. I am not going to tell you the internal issues, but I made it quite clear to him; he wanted to come, but I made it quite clear why he’s not coming.”
The coach’s comments suggest that the decision was made with mutual understanding between him and Partey. “Like I said, it is confidential, so it’s difficult for me to mention all the things, so maybe we have to move on,” Addo added, implying that the matter has been resolved privately.
Partey’s absence has led to a shift in the team’s leadership structure. Addo explained that Partey had initially been slated to captain the squad. “The initiative was to make Thomas the captain of the team and for him to guide the team, to lead the team,” he stated.
With Partey unavailable, Addo turned to younger players for leadership roles. “After the talks with Thomas… I had to talk to Kudus. For him, I think he’s still young; he needs to grow into that role,” he said.
Defender Alexander Djiku and midfielder Mohammed Kudus were previously designated to assist Partey, but with the captaincy now vacant, Jordan Ayew has taken on the leadership role. “The last time, he was the captain because we expected Thomas to come,” Addo concluded.
