Ghanaian fans were deeply upset and uncomfortable with Otto Addo’s leadership. The 5-1 thrashing in Austria was the final straw. They were angered and called for the immediate sacking of Otto Addo because they could feel danger was looming large if the German-born former Black Stars midfielder was allowed to train the team in the World Cup.
I defended Otto Addo for far too long. I bet there were no sports journalists across Ghana that was in support of Otto Addo’s return. I remember when he returned as the head coach of the Black Stars soon after the 2023 AFCON debacle in Cameroon under Chris Houghton, I was super excited because I saw many glimpses of good football during the 2022 FIFA World Cup, even though Ghana did not qualify in a group with Portugal, Uruguay and South Korea. The Black Stars defeated the Republic of Korea 3-2 in a thrilling manner. Ghana lost to the star-studded Portugal and nemesis Uruguay.
People never supported his second coming because they knew he was easily going to be manipulated by the Ghana Football Association’s politburos. Again, his tactics were so suspect when they consider his countable games he managed in his first stint.
Some of Otto Addo’s first stint games
●Ghana 0 v 0 Nigeria (2022 World Cup play-off first leg)
●Nigeria 1-1 Ghana (2022 World Cup play-off second leg)
●Brazil 3-0 Ghana (International friendly)
●Ghana 1-0 Nicaragua (International friendly)
●Ghana 2-0 Switzerland (International friendly)
●Ghana 2-3 Portugal (2022 World Cup group stage)
●Ghana 3-2 South Korea (2022 World Cup group stage)
●Uruguay 2-0 Ghana (2022 World Cup group stage)
The former Black Stars midfielder has had a huge opportunity to etch his name among Ghana’s great football minds, but it looks crystal clear that he has squandered it.
Otto Addo should have been sacked after the 2025 AFCON qualifiers
The 2025 AFCON qualifiers disaster will probably be the worst qualifiers Ghana has endured in its history. Otto Addo failed to qualify Ghana for the AFCON held in Morocco. It was Ghana’s first time missing the coveted tournament since 2004, when Tunisia hosted and won the competition. In six games against category B, C, and D opponents, the Black Stars did not win a single one.
1-0 defeat at the Baba Yara in the opening day against Angola ended Ghana’s 24-year unbeaten run in Kumasi. Sudan won 2-0 in Libya against Ghana, while the lowly Niger won for the first time against Ghana in Accra. The other three games ended in draws, leading Ghana to finish bottom of the group. The quick-fire format exposed Ghana inexplicably as Otto Addo and his men failed to show physical and mental readiness.
The results were embarrassing, but the FA backed him to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Addo expertly weathered the storm and brought back the belief by winning the group. Ghana has not been convincing at all in 80% of the matches played since the return of Otto Addo in 2023.
Why the GFA must appoint a good coach for Ghana
Kurt Okraku promised everyone that he was the game changer, hence people expected massive changes in Ghana’s dead football when he took over in October 2019 as the president. It has been six and a half good years since he was officially confirmed as the man to steer the affairs of Ghana’s football. Nothing shows that there will be an improvement in any aspect of our football except the Black Queens, who, incredibly, finished third in the 2024 WAFCON.
Ghanaians got consolation when the Black Stars qualified for the 2026 World Cup after the calamitous failure in the 2025 AFCON qualifiers. The state of affairs would have been deadly had they failed to secure a place in the upcoming football festival across North America.
There is nothing special to be talked about in the domestic league because Ghanaian clubs are completely rotten to the core and hence can’t compete on the continent like they used to. IFFHS recently ranked the Ghana Premier League as the 100th best league in the world, with tiny San Marino and Andorra all coming ahead of Ghana, embarrassingly. Youth Football has completely failed, so all we have now is the Black Stars. Their success in the imminent World Cup alone can defend Kurt Okraku and his cronies on paper. The Ghana football Association gurus will be in immense trouble if they get the next appointment wrong. Already, they are under pressure to deliver, so their future depends on the next appointment.
Who are some of the coaches linked to the vacant Black Stars role
The FA president confirmed on Wednesday that they have received more than 600 applications for the vacant role.
Rumours in the Ghanaian media say that category A coaches like Germany’s Joaquim Lowe, Morocco’s Walid Regragui, France’s Herve Renard and veteran German tactician who is already part of the coaching staff, Winfried Schaffer, have all shown interest.
Sudan national team coach James Kwasi Appiah’s name has also been mentioned. Swedish tactician, who is currently the head coach of the Black Queens, Kim Lars Björkegren, is also in the news for the vacant role.
The president promised that Ghana would have a new coach in the next two weeks. Ghanaians are patiently waiting for the man they believe will bring back the passion and get the best out of the talented players in the USA, Canada, and Mexico for the World Cup.
