Ghana Football Association (GFA) President Kurt Okraku has clarified that the appointment of Chris Hughton as the new coach of the Black Stars was not imposed on them.
Contrary to rumors, Okraku emphasized that Hughton was chosen based on his competence and the belief the association had in him.
Okraku made these statements in an exclusive interview with Juliet Bawuah on SuperSport. He stated that Hughton’s selection as the head coach of the Black Stars was a result of the FA’s confidence in him. Okraku reiterated the support of the Executive Committee and the Ministry of Youth and Sports for Hughton.
The FA President emphasized that they are fully behind Hughton and the rest of the coaching staff. He highlighted the importance of giving the team time and trust to achieve success. Okraku expressed his trust in Hughton’s abilities and the clear plan they have in place.
Okraku also revealed that Hughton had been brought closer to the team before his official appointment to familiarize himself with the players, their culture, and the inner workings of the team. This strategic move was part of a succession plan, with Hughton being prepared to take over from Otto Addo.
“Chris Houghton is a coach contracted by the Football Association of Ghana. If we didn’t have the belief in Chris Houghton, he will never have been the head coach of the Black Stars.
“So long as he is the coach, he has the support of the Executive Committee, he has the support of the Ministry of Youth and Sports.
“We have been very supportive of his works and we will forever continue to give him the all the support that he needs that will ensure that we win success. We trust in him and the rest of the backroom staff, if it is that we will win trophies, we have to stay with the team, we have to give them trust, we have to give them time.
“The Executive Committee had trust in him, we were sure about him we had a clear plan for him and we executed the plan.”
According to Okraku, Hughton now has a better understanding of the team after spending time with them. The FA had anticipated Otto Addo’s departure and had a clear strategy in place for Hughton to succeed him.
“Before we gave the job to Otto Addo, we knew he wouldn’t stay beyond December and we had a succession plan and his successor was Chris. It’s the reason we brought him closer to the team for him to get to know the team, the players’ culture and ins and outs of the team and to get him ready to take over from Otto Addo.
“It was a very clear strategic strategy that we deployed and today Chris is in a better position to take over the team than he would have been if we had handed him the responsibility earlier.”
Since his appointment, Hughton has already led the team in two matches against Angola in the 2023 AFCON Qualifiers, winning one and drawing one.
Okraku’s statements aim to dispel any misconceptions about Hughton’s appointment and highlight the association’s confidence in his ability to lead the Black Stars to success.
