Ghana coach Otto Addo has given his players the freedom to be creative on the pitch, but with one condition: they must understand their positioning and the overall structure of the team.
This comes after some criticism of Mohammed Kudus for holding on to the ball for too long.
Addo, who has led the Black Stars to back-to-back wins in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, emphasized that players who want to take risks must first understand their positioning and the overall structure of the team before making such moves.
“I think the freedom is there but surely it’s a little bit limited. It’s very important that the players have the right position and understand why they have to be in this position or why they have to run into certain spaces. If we all have the same understanding, it makes it easier for everyone,” Addo told 3Sports.
Addo wants his players to know their options and capabilities, and to be able to make informed decisions on the pitch.
“Once you get the ball in your position then, you can be creative. I want them to know which options they have. Once again, this ball in this same situation, they have option ABCDEFGH but also there is option I which they can do whatever they want which includes dribble, which they can shoot or whatever,” he said.
Ghana are currently level on nine points with Comoros at the top of Group I of the CAF World Cup qualifiers.
The Black Stars have won their last two matches against Mali and the Central African Republic (CAR), and will be looking to build on this momentum as they continue their campaign.