Former Ghana international Dan Quaye has come to the defense of coach Otto Addo, stating that he should not be held accountable for the Black Stars’ disappointing 2-0 defeat to Sudan in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers.
The match, held at the Benina Martyrs Stadium in Libya on Tuesday, has left the West African powerhouse on the brink of failing to qualify for the continent’s premier tournament, set to take place in Morocco next year.
This latest setback puts Ghana in a precarious position, as they last missed out on AFCON qualification in 2004 and now face a challenging path to secure a spot next year.
In an interview with Bryt FM on Adekyee Mu Nsem, Quaye attributed the team’s poor performance to the players themselves rather than the coaching staff. “No one should blame the coach. We should rather blame the players because they are not serious. The players are selected based on their performance at club level, so why don’t they exhibit the same form for the Black Stars when invited?” he questioned.
Quaye also highlighted the issue of player discipline, stating, “Truth be told, this crop of players are indisciplined, and it’s high time we address it. Players who are not ready to play for the national team can decline call-ups. I think that is better than accepting a call-up and playing anyhow, breaking the hearts of millions of Ghanaians.”
He further emphasized the defensive mistakes that contributed to the defeat, expressing disappointment in the team’s performance: “We cannot blame the coach for this defeat. Our defenders were poor, and we committed silly mistakes in the game, which cost us the match. I’m highly disappointed because we can’t just miss out on AFCON in this group. The Sudanese played as if they were Ghana.”
To keep their AFCON hopes alive, Ghana now needs to secure victories against already-qualified Angola and Niger while also hoping that Sudan falters in their remaining matches against the same opponents.
