Bibiani Gold Stars head coach, Frimpong Manso, has urged the Black Stars to shift their focus from the 2025 AFCON qualifiers to the more crucial goal of securing a spot in the World Cup. His remarks follow Ghana’s underwhelming performance in the AFCON Qualifiers, where they currently sit third in Group F after four matches.
Ghana trails Sudan by five points and Angola by seven points, making their path to AFCON qualification increasingly difficult. Addressing the situation during an interview with Akoma FM, Manso stated, “We should forget about AFCON and instead focus on World Cup qualification.”
Reflecting on the quality and commitment of the current squad, Manso expressed his disappointment: “With this group, we should have easily qualified without any mathematical calculations. Our team has lacked the commitment to truly ‘die for the nation.’ Otto Addo should drop all players who are unwilling to play because, based on their current performances, our local players can outperform them.”
His comments highlight a growing concern that the Black Stars need to prioritize building a dedicated, passionate team to regain their competitive edge in international football.
Ghana will return to action in November for the final two games of the 2025 AFCON qualifiers, facing Angola and Niger. Although their chances of qualifying for the continental tournament are slim, Coach Otto Addo and his players will be aiming to finish strong and shift momentum toward future campaigns.
