President of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), Kurt E.S. Okraku, has expressed surprise over ongoing debates about the future of Black Stars head coach Otto Addo.
Despite Ghana’s failure to qualify for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), Addo redeemed himself by leading the team to secure a spot at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Okraku, who also serves as the Second Vice President of CAF, believes discussions about replacing the coach are premature and unwarranted.
“For me, I was totally surprised. I kept asking myself — Ghana, what’s wrong with us? How did this conversation even start? It still surprises me to this day,” Okraku told 3Sports.
He referenced one of his favorite coaches, José Mourinho, to make his point:
“Mourinho once said, go into the Guinness Book of Records and see whether it contains names of coaches and clubs that played beautiful football or those who actually won trophies.”
Reflecting on Ghana’s past struggles, Okraku admitted responsibility for the team’s earlier failures but emphasized the need for introspection over rash decisions.
“Months ago, when we failed woefully, I took responsibility because I lead this family. We needed to look inward, be honest with ourselves, and find solutions — and we realized the solution didn’t lie solely in dismissing coaches.”
He explained that after a period of evaluation involving key stakeholders — including the technical team, management committee, and players — the GFA chose to retain Otto Addo and reinforce the coaching staff.
“We re-energized the technical setup, traveled across the world to meet players and staff, and made the necessary adjustments. The result? Otto Addo returned, played eight games, won seven, and drew one. And yet, people are questioning his future.”
Okraku reaffirmed his confidence in Addo’s leadership, insisting the coach remains the right man to lead the Black Stars forward.
Ghana’s qualification for the 2026 World Cup was sealed with a 1-0 victory over Comoros at the Accra Sports Stadium, thanks to a 47th-minute goal from Tottenham forward Mohammed Kudus. The Black Stars had already secured qualification after Madagascar’s 4-1 loss to Mali.
Ghana’s best-ever World Cup performance came in 2010, when the team reached the quarterfinals in South Africa, only to fall to Uruguay in a dramatic penalty shootout.
