Former Black Stars player Charles Taylor has slammed head coach Otto Addo and the national team for their underwhelming performance in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers.
Taylor expressed frustration over the team’s lack of organization and tactical direction, particularly in their 1-1 draw against Niger in the second round of Group F fixtures.
Speaking on Angel TV, Taylor questioned Addo’s leadership, claiming the coach lacks a clear tactical identity. “There are question marks on Otto Addo. He doesn’t have any tactics. Who was our striker today? Who was the target man that gave the team a focal point upfront like Niger had in their number 7?” Taylor said. He further criticized the Black Stars’ inability to defeat Niger, remarking, “If you can’t beat Niger, then it will be very difficult. Otto Addo does nothing on the touchline aside from getting balls back on the pitch. I’ve not seen him beat any better team since he came back.”
Taylor did not spare the players either, calling out their lack of seriousness and commitment during the qualifiers. He pointed to Antoine Semenyo and Abdul Fatawu Issahaku as examples of players who appeared disinterested. “The players are good, but they don’t show any seriousness when playing for Ghana. Semenyo and Issahaku were playing like it was a training game,” he noted.
Disputing the claim that the Black Stars lack quality players, Taylor argued that the issue lies in confidence and selection. “For me, I never believe that we don’t have quality. No player won’t deliver when you instill confidence in him. If we decide to play some players over and over, others will get serious if they are benched,” he added.
Ghana is now winless in their first two 2025 AFCON qualifiers, having lost 1-0 to Angola in Kumasi before drawing 1-1 with Niger in Morocco. The Black Stars will need to improve significantly to secure qualification in their upcoming matches.
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