Member of Parliament for Ningo-Prampram constituency, Sam George, has disclosed that Chris Hughton has been given the Black Stars coaching position.
Sam George claims the former technical advisor of the Black Stars been named as the new coach, although an official announcement is soon to come.
“That [coaching] job they have given it to Chris Hughton already so why are we wasting our time?” he quizzed on Joy Prime.
“They have given it to him because they want someone they can manipulate, someone they can use to do their business, someone they can tell him to bring his team selection [with changes being made with regards to agency callups] regardless of how long the person has played or not played.
“People are using GFA to make money, they are using it to feed their family.”, he added.
Hughton served as the Black Stars’ technical adviser at the Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup.
The Ghanaian with Irish ancestry was chosen as Otto Addo’s technical advisor in a hastily put together technical staff for the World Cup play-off against Nigeria in February.
Milovan Rajevac, a Serbian trainer, was fired following Ghana’s disappointing performance at the 2021 African Cup of Nations competition in Cameroon. Otto Addo was appointed coach, with George Boateng and Masaud Didi Dramani promoted to assistant roles.
In a two-legged play-off game, the revamped technical team orchestrated a qualification victory against bitter rivals Nigeria.
Ghana is searching for Otto Addo’s replacement as his six-month contract comes to an end.
The Irishman has been a member of the Black Stars technical staff since March 2021, and he was in Qatar at that time.
Many have predicted that he will succeed Otto Addo, whose contract ended following Ghana’s World Cup loss.
Hughton has coached teams in England including Norwich City, Newcastle United, and Brighton and Hove Albion.
Black Stars and KRC Genk winger Joseph Paintsil says former Ghana coach Otto Addo told him that there is more to football than just providing assists and scoring goals something at which Paintsil was excelling at.
Paintsil was named in the provisional 55-man squad list that was released on 2nd November 2022 by the Ghana Football Association (GFA).
Prior to the World Cup, the winger was among the most in-form Ghanaian players playing in Europe but then Black Stars coach Otto Addo did not fancy him.
Paintsil was snubbed by Otto Addo in September 2022 when Ghana played two friendly matches against Brazil and Nicaragua which they lost 3-0 and won 1-0 respectively.
The former Tema Youth winger has six goals and seven assists in 13 games across all competitions this season for Genk.
According to the player, Otto Addo denied him the opportunity to play at his first-ever World Cup by not selecting for Ghana despite his scintillating form in Belgium.
“His decision was unfair,” Paintsil disclosed in an interview with Belgium-based Newspaper Belang van Limburg.
” He gave me no valid reason to explain my absence. I told him the same thing during a phone conversation. He told me that there were players ahead of me in the hierarchy. Among them, there were guys who, like me, play in the Jupiler Pro League . They didn’t have couldn’t present the same stats, but Addo said football isn’t all about goals and assists.”
He added on his exit: “I’m happy about it. The World Cup was a fantastic opportunity to show me to the world, but he took it away from me. I’m now patiently waiting to see who the next national coach will be. , because I will always be available for the national team. Hoping for him that he continues to shoot on the ground as he does behind a microphone.”
Ghana exited the 2022 FIFA World Cup at the Group stage after a win over Korea and defeats to Portugal and Uruguay.
Former Ghanaian defender Dan Quaye thinks that the Black Stars‘ lack of discipline and haughtiness is hurting them.
Following a 2-0 loss against Uruguay, the Black Stars fell out of the tournament after the first round.
After defeating South Korea in their second group game, the Black Stars needed a draw or win against Uruguay to advance to the last 16 stage.
But the team failed to negotiate for points against their ‘enemies’ Uruguay.
“Current players of the national team are indiscipline and arrogant and I think that is affecting the Black Stars. It has become even difficult to correct them from their mistakes. Ghana football has been destroyed” he told Koforidua-based Bryt FM in an interview.
Meanwhile, the Black Stars have been ranked the 24th best team at the just ended 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar which was won by Lionel Messi inspired Argentina on Sunday.
The four-time African champions failed to progress past the group stage after recording two defeats and a win.
Otto Addo’s men lost 3-2 to Portugal, bounced back to beat South Korea 3-2 and lost 2-0 to Uruguay in an entertaining World Cup exit.
Despite failing to go past the group stage, the African giants placed 24 in the index rankings after the tournament saw Argentina beating France in a nerve-racking final to clinch their third World Cup title.
The Black Stars is currently without a coach following the exit of Otto Addo, who stepped down after early exit at the biggest soccer mundial in the Asian country.
Shortly after Ghana’s 0-2 defeat to Uruguay in the final Group H encounter in Qatar, a stern-looking Otto Addo appeared at the post-match press conference willing to badly get something off his chest.
After being introduced to the press, Otto minced no words after a journalist asked if he was going to step down. He answered “I will step down from my position as it was agreed on in May” He was clear in his mind that the news will be no surprise to his employers having stated in many ways before the World Cup that he was still committed to his role at German giants Borussia Dortmund. For the record Otto Addo is a talent coach and second assistant at Dortmund.
He will explain details of his resignation at a presser a day after, but amidst Ghana’s rough 2022 World Cup post-mortem it’s worth noting that Addo left behind a squad that has the potential to reach unthinkable heights in the coming years.
Coming in at such a tricky time, 26 days prior to announcing Otto as Interim Ghana coach ahead of the World Cup qualifiers, the Black Stars had just put up their worst performance at the Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon. In Garoua, the Black Stars lost 3-2 to tiny Comoros and rounded up their tournament without recording a win in a group that housed Morocco, Gabon and Comoros.
In the stands that night, many Ghanaians were hopeful the Stars could even draw when goals from Richmond Boakye and Alexander Djiku levelled the game up for Ghana, but Mogni grabbed a winner with five minutes remaining. Ghana exited the group stage of the competition in 2006, failed to go past the round of 16 in 2019, but not winning a single game meant that was on paper the most dreadful performance by the four time African champions.
The man who supervised the debacle, Milovan Rajevac, was fired despite his desire to stay on. Next for Ghana was a tricky World Cup playoff game against Nigeria who exited the AFCON competition in the round of 16 but played much better than Ghana. Addo accepted the job with a huge risk of possibly ending his entire career with the big derby coming up – yes, qualifying to the World Cup will make him a Ghanaian hero but failing will surely be the end of his career on these shores – the unwritten rules were quite clear.
He was appointed as an interim manager alongside two-time Ghana Premier League champion Didi Dramani, Aston Villa U23 coach, George Boateng and the experienced English Premier League manager, Chris Houghton playing the role as a Technical Adviser on February 9.
Romance after the Jollof derby
Otto’s first job was to surmount the Nigerian hurdle or be truly forgotten. His employers where keen as well because, missing the World Cup after a poor showing at the AFCON in the minds of ordinary football fans would “mean not good enough” for the job. Ghanaians were skeptic of the Black Stars because of their poor displays in Cameroon. Ghana settled for a 0-0 draw after VAR overruled a decision to award the Super Eagles a penalty in the first leg of the playoff in Kumasi. A review of the decision in the closing stages of the Jollof derby found that Ghana midfielder Iddrisu Baba was fouled before he handled the ball.
In the return leg in Abuja, a long range shot by Thomas Partey ensured Ghana won the tie (1-1) on away goals to book a ticket to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. The World Cup ticket also meant an elevation from interim Ghana coach to substantive manager for Otto Addo – He was going to be at the mundial with his initial 5 man technical team.
Building a new squad
Ghana’s performance against Nigeria looked a lot more organized but was still far from perfect which meant the approaching weeks and months were huge windows for augmenting the squad.
He led a wild charge by the Ghana Football Association to get international players of Ghanaian descent to switch nationality. Four months before competing at the World Cup, the Ghana Football Association announced five new recruits who were now eligible to play for the Black Stars in Qatar.
Brighton & Hove Albion defender Tariq Lamptey, who had played for England Under-21s, Hamburger SV pair Stephan Ambrosius and Ransford-Yeboah Königsdörffer who both represented Germany Under-21s, Athletic Bilbao forward, Iñaki Williams who played one friendly for Spain, and Germany-based player Patrick Pfeiffer a forward at Darmstadt all committed to Ghana. Southampton defender Mohammed Salisu, who initially turned down a Black Stars call-up, also agreed to be called by the technical handlers of the Black Stars ahead of the 2022 FIFA Mundial in November.
The extensive scouting will ensure that in-form Racing Lens midfielder, Salis Abdul Samed and Club Brugge’s Kamal Sowah will be called for the competition.
Friendlies games against Brazil (0-3), Nicaragua (1-0), Switzerland (2-0) and the Kirin cup in Japan were not enough. But all the technical team had to do was fine tune the team for Qatar. Ghana arrived at the mundial as the lowest ranked team (61st) and the youngest squad.
What had changed under Otto Addo?
I followed Otto Addo’s Black Stars so closely to make key observations that were consistent throughout the tenure. The regard for time massively improved with a mini schedule released 24hours prior. The technical team and players stuck to the rigid schedule and were constantly on time throughout their stay in camps.
Imposed fines institutionalized by the technical team were so strict that even if one of them showed up late, punishment followed. Upon interaction with some members of technical team who had worked with previous Black Stars coaches, the attention to details and major meetings of the Otto Addo regime was novel. At close gauge, I saw the technical team meet close to 4 times a day while in camp physically to deliberate over many issues concerning the team. Even when they were at their respective bases they would jump onto a zoom call for hours to get on the same page regarding many fluid situations.
There was efficient distribution of tasks among the technical team with medical team reporting the latest on the team’s health daily. On the training ground, I could see the four –man technical team work on different aspects of the team. The Black Stars camp felt organized , with players and the technical team very much informed about what was about to happen next . The usual fun including the initiation dances stayed and the camp was usually buzzing.
Lack of Cohesion – bane of World Cup 2022
While the criticism comes in hard for Ghana’s performance at the 2022 World cup, it’s worth reminding ourselves of where this team was coming from.
The standards for judging Ghana at the World Cup must surely be the maiden appearance in 2006 where the team exited at Round of 16 and 2010 when Ghana only missed out on the semifinals. In 2006, Ghana assembled a squad that had formed wonderful bonds and understanding from their days at youth level.
Ghana’s 2001 U20 side produced 7 out of the 23 man squad in Germany 2006. Derek Boateng Sulley muntari, Razak Pimpong, Micheal Essien, John Mensah, John Painstil and Emmanuel Pappoe were all part of the silver winning U 20 world cup squad and made the cut to Germany. These were easily the stars of the world Cup. In Ghana’s crucial do or die game against Czech Republic 5 of them started in crucial areas – Derek Boateng, Sulley Muntari, Michael Essien, John Mensah, John Painstil – and helped Ghana to an important win and the round of 16. The team had formed bonds since their youth playing days and knew each other for well 6 years before the World Cup.
The story of the 2010 World Cup was no different. About half of the 2006 World Cup squad were back in South Africa and with huge experience playing at the top level. Augmenting the squad was a select group of players from Ghana’s 2009 Un 20 World Cup winning team – Samuel Inkoom, Jonathan Mensah, Dominic Adiyah, and Emmanuel Agyemang Badu. Even before the World Cup, the young group had the chance to try out with the seniors at the 2009 CHAN competition and the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations under the same coach – Milovan Rajevac. So the team had the opportunity to strike levels of cohesion before the 2010 World Cup began. The results of 2010 world Cup speaks for itself.
Even in 2014, about 40 percent of the Ghana’s 2010 World Cup made the squad in Brazil. So historically the Black Stars have had teams represent Ghana at the World Cup with history and some experience. However 2022 was the exact opposite.
A World Cup too soon for this squad?
Maybe yes, even though many widely believe Ghana could have made the knock out round. Traditional Ghana does a poor job of keeping squads together irrespective of their age group when competitions end up in disappointment. So after failing to qualify for the 2018 World Cup there was real trouble with keeping a consistent squad.
Ghana exited the 2019 AFCON at the round of 16 stage following a defeat to Tunisia which further destabilized the boat. Black Stars failed to win a game at the 2021 AFCON in Cameroun which was termed a disaster. In a short space of time, the Black Stars had seen as many as four coaches ( Kwasi Appiah, CK Akonor, Milovan Rajevac and Otto Addo. That meant continuity was a headache and the nucleus of the Black Stars kept changing.
So the key issue with this assembled group of players for the World Cup was not a lack of quality or potential but lack of playing time together, quite literally. Otto’s men were many miles off the cohesion needed at such a high level competition. All Ghana group opponents (Uruguay, Portugal and South Korea) were at the 2018 World Cup so somewhat had a squad to fall on for cohesion and team chemistry in Qatar.
The nucleus of Ghana’s Squad for the Ghana-Nigeria 2022 World Cup qualifiers appeared to be the blue print around which Coach Otto Addo’s new team would evolve, but there were more additions and subtractions such that the team that started at the World Cup against Portugal had six new faces in Lawrence Ati Zigi , Baba Rahman, Alidu Seidu, Salis Abdul Samed, Inaki Williams and Mohammed Salisu.
These faces were not accidentals, in fact, they were about the framework around which players where introduced deep into games in Qatar. Otto and his team were unlucky with injuries, first and second choice goalkeepers Jojo Wollacot and Richard Ofori picked up knocks, Baba Iddrissu, who had formed a partnership of a sort with Thomas Partey was also unavailable and meant quick replacements. Time to assemble a team after the World Cup qualifiers was rare.
There were two AFCON 2024 qualifiers against Madagascar and Central Africa republic, a Kirin cup tourney in Japan quickly followed, but largely without key players in early June. The next window was in late September and October where Ghana played Brazil and Nicaragua with still some key names missing. The team had to soon Camp for the World Cup and this time, the full squad including newbies like Salis Abdul Samed and Kamal Sowah were drafted in.
The lack of time to play together as a team and find the right understanding on the pitch was pretty obvious but this squad looks promising.
Pregnant with Titles
Ghana’s best performances have come from a well-knit squad with bundles of experience and cohesion developed from competition time together. The 2006 and 2010 World Cup tournaments are perfect examples of this.
The composition of Otto’s squad for the 2022 World Cup inspires more hope for the coming years. The Black Stars squad was the youngest at the mundial with an average age of 26 years. It was also by far the most inexperienced side Ghana has ever assembled for a World Cup with 24 out of the 26 participating at the competition for the first time. Only captain, Andre Dede Ayew and his brother, Jordan Ayew had tasted World Cup action before.
The balance of the squad was another strong reason to believe this team is worth keeping. In the goalkeeping department the absence of Richard Ofori and Jojo Wollacot gave Lawrence Ati Zigi the chance to prove that he’s not far off. In central defense Ghana can boast of Daniel Amartey (Leicester City), Alexander Djiku (Strasbourg), Salisu (Southampton) and Joseph Aidoo (Celta Vigo) who all good and could only get better with time. At right back, Alidu Seidu (Clermont) who starred at the World Cup shares the spot with Tariq Lamptey (Brighton). Even 34-year-old Dennis Odoi (Brugge) offers an option though he may not be around for long.
At left-back the heavily vilified Baba Rahman (Reading) is seconded by Gideon Mensah (Auxerre) who looked great against South Korea. Deep in midfield the partnership between Thomas Partey (Arsenal) and Salis Abdul Samed (Racing Lens) can be nurtured – not forgetting Baba Idrissu (Mallorca) who got injured ahead of the tourney and the Elisha Owusu (Gent KAA) who didn’t feature in Qatar. On the right side of attack, there’s Jordan Ayew (Crsytal Place), Club Brugge’s Kamal Sowah and Sporting’s Fatawu Issahaku who will get much better with time – On the left wing Kamaldeen Sulemana (Rennes), Osman Bukari (Red Star Belgrade), Antoine Semenyo(Bristol City) are all exciting wingers with pace and enough tricks to outwit defenders in one on one situations. Upfront Inaki Williams (Athletic Club) and Dede Ayew (Al Sadd) can do a job.
Surely this team needs few tweaks and more time to develop the right chemistry. The squad managed to win Ghana’s first game at the World Cup since 2010, and suffered together against Portugal and Uruguay. These are key experiences that help the growth of a squad – they have learnt more about each other the hard way and this is invaluable for team this young.
Keep this group together
Expectation for the Ghana at the World Cup went through the roof after a 2-0 win against Switzerland. But in fairness a squad as inexperienced as Otto’s could only punch above their weight to make the knock out phase. The win against South Korea was inspiring and possibly did wet the appetite of many fans who felt making the Round of 16 was a must.
Yes, Ghana could have finished second and played against Brazil in the Round of 16 but nothing more really. It’s time to stop the ranting and let the planning begin around a squad which is pregnant with titles.
Otto Addo has revealed that Ghana did not rejoice after preventing Uruguay from moving on to the round of 16 of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Both teams were eliminated from the competition on Friday when the Black Stars fell to Uruguay 2-0 at Al Janoub Stadium.
After Andre Ayew missed the penalty kick, Giorgio de Arrascaeta scored both goals in the final eight minutes of the first half to end Ghana’s chances of moving on to the second round of the competition.
“I don’t know who said it, but nobody told them what the [South Korea] score was,” Otto Addo said after the game.
“I don’t know how they would know. For us, it was about trying to score. As a coach for more than 12 years, I have had games where we led 3-0 and lost 4-3. Anything can happen.
“I don’t think anyone was thinking about this, but I definitely wasn’t. Everyone saw wild games with goals in the last minutes. We just wanted to equalise, which would have gotten us through.”
The Managing Editor of the Daily Dispatch newspaper, Ben Ephson, has urged the Ghana Football Association (GFA) to engage coaches who will be committed to the Black Stars team and the country.
He attributed this to the fact that the former Black Stars coach, Otto Addo, was signed to lead the team while under contract with an international football club.
According to Ben Ephson in an interview on Prime Morning, Monday, this caused Otto Addo to be less committed to the task at hand.
“So, I think that also should teach us a lesson. If we want to have a coach, we shouldn’t have a coach who will have one step in Ghana as our coach, waiting to go back. He will be a bit reckless. That should be a lesson to Ghana to get a coach who will be fully committed. We should never get a coach who is going to be part-time, whether we succeed or not,” he urged GFA.
He further suggested that, “perhaps if Otto Addo the coach had resigned from his contract with Dortmund, he may have been a bit more careful. Because he knew that he was in as a short term, and I’m sure if Ghana had progressed and even won the World Cup, he would have had to go back to Dortmund to complete his 3-year term with the club.”
He stated that signing coaches who are fully committed and have the interests of the team and the country at heart, will enable the coaches to work harder to achieve positive results.
Mr. Ephson further indicated that there is no motivation for coaches who have half an interest in the country, as they will have to return to their initial contracted club.
He also noted that signing Otto Addo, who already had a contract with a different club, was an “elementary” mistake Ghana made.
The Ghana Black Stars exited the ongoing 2022 World Cup in Qatar after losing 2-0 to Uruguay on Friday, December 2, 2022.
Mr. Ben Ephson opined that Uruguay easily scored against Ghana due to poor player selection on the part of Otto Addo.
Contrary to claims that some players were selected for the World Cup upon the request of Kurt Okraku, Otto Addo who resigned as Black Stars coach less than an hour after Ghana’s defeat has refuted that claim.
According to the Borussia Dortmund assistant coach, Kurt Okraku gave him free hands to do the work as he deemed fit and he is grateful for the trust and the opportunity to serve.
“I want to thank the President Kurt Okraku for giving me this chance and for letting me do my work the way I wanted, I really appreciate this. This was the best circumstance I would like to work,” Otto Addo said at his post-match conference quoted by footballghana.com.
“We have to thank the Almighty God for giving us this opportunity and for giving us a team like this. I am very, very proud of the boys, they gave their all. Sometimes it’s bad luck, this is also part of football.”
“I would like to thank the whole technical staff for supporting me in the best way they could. This was a really solid and loyal unit, everybody worked a lot, nobody sees this. There was a lot of work behind the scenes preparing for this World Cup and also preparing for the qualification,” he added.
Otto Addo supervised 12 games as the head coach of the Black Stars since he was appointed as the interim manager to lead the team for the FIFA World Cup playoffs against the Super Eagles of Nigeria in March 2022.
He won three out of the 12 games, lost five, and drew the remaining four matches which include the doubleheader against the Super Eagles of Nigeria.
The Black Stars were eliminated after the first round of the tournament following a 2-0 defeat to Uruguay.
After defeating South Korea in their second group game, the Black Stars needed a draw or win against Uruguay to advance to the last 16 stage.
But the team failed to negotiate for points against their ‘enemies’ Uruguay.
At the post-match conference, the Germany-based trainer announced he has stepped down as coach of the Black Stars to concentrate on his role as the talent development coach of Dortmund.
“It was always clear that I would stop after the World Cup. My family and I see our role in Germany. I like my life at (Borussia) Dortmund (where he works as a talent coach, and wants to carry on there.” he said.
Below are some reactions from Nigerian football fanatics:
Super eagle’s coaches will never resign. They prefer to die there
9ja coach no dey ever resign
He actually did what he was hired to do😂. Get Ghana to qualify for the world cup thereafter, he became clueless😂😂😂
The dude will rather be an assistant than a national team coach 😢 he’s not confident, always making panic subs
He did well within a short period. Kudos to him.
Respect to him. He did well
He did his best, I guess
He don try. Would have courageously continued, thou. he wrote.
Although Kwesi Appiah was the first Ghanaian coach to lead the Black Stars to the World Cup, he never won a match with the team but Otto Addo led the Black Stars to their first victory under a Ghanaian coach at the World Cup.
However, Dan Kwaku Yeboah argues Otto Addo cannot be said to be a better coach than Kwasi Appiah.
He argued that Kwasi Appiah faced harsh treatment during his time which he believes Otto Addo wouldn’t have survived.
“My primary teacher taught me that the best way to compare two things is to give them the same platform. In 2022 Nana Addo’s government never assured that players would be paid during their training tour neither did he say they would be paid in Doha so there is no need to compare,” Dan Kwaku Yeboah said.
“I have read posts from people saying that Otto Addo has done better than Kwasi Appiah, but if Otto Addo experienced what Kwesi Appiah went through maybe we would have conceded 20 goals. Government made every provision available” he added.
The 47-year-old is expected to vacate his position as the coach of the senior national team and return to Borussia Dortmund when his short-term contract expires at the end of December.
Black Stars crashed out of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar after finishing bottom of Group H with three points, losing to Uruguay in their final group game on Friday.
“We have to thank the Almighty God for giving us this opportunity and for giving us a team like this. I am very, very proud of the boys, they gave their all. Sometimes its bad luck, this is also part of football,” Otto Addo said in a press briefing in Doha.
“It’s the ugly side of football, sometimes you are lucky, sometimes you are not lucky. But they did all they can and sometimes it’s not in your hands.
He added, “I want to thank the President Kurt Okraku for giving me this chance and for letting me do my work the way I wanted, I really appreciate this. This was the best circumstance I would like to work.”
“I would like to thank the whole technical staff for supporting me in the best way they could. This was a really solid and loyal unit, everybody worked a lot, nobody sees this. There was a lot of work behind the scenes preparing for this World Cup and also preparing for the qualification.”
Otto Addo has disclosed that there were lots of negatives surrounding his appointment as Ghana coach.
The 47-year-old announced on Friday that he would be leaving his role as Ghana coach following the team’s exit from the 2022 World Cup.
He replaced Milovan Rajevac in February, initially as interim boss, and was given a deal until the end of December.
“I would never understand the mentality of those who think against a human to fail, and there are some humans doing this, I would never understand it,” coach Otto Addo said at a press conference after Ghana’s elimination from the World Cup.
“I don’t fear any of your critics, I’m so long in the game and I’m used to this. For me, it is not a problem, I don’t fear anything, just God.”
‘It’s easy when we lose, the first question is why did you do this and that, but when we win no questions come against me.”
Coach Otto Addo won four games during his time with the Black Stars, beating Madagascar and South Korea in competitive games with the other victories coming against Nicaragua and Switzerland in friendlies.
Ghana crashed out of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar after finishing bottom of Group H with three points.
Black Stars lost two games and won one, amassing three points.
Otto Addo says he left his position as coach of Ghana in order to continue working for Borussia Dortmund as a talent developer.
The 47-year-old made his resignation known after the Black Stars were eliminated from the 2022 World Cup in the group stage following their 2-0 loss to Uruguay on Friday.
After Serbian coach Milovan Rajevac was fired following a terrible performance at this year’s Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon, Addo took up the Ghana post in February.
“It has not got to do with the outcome of the result [Ghana’s World Cup elimination]. It would have ended if we were world champions. I have to respect the contract. I have to respect the club I am working for.” Addo told the media in Doha.”
“Surely maybe one day I will get the chance to work with the GFA again but for the next two and half years, I have a contract with Dortmund and I have to respect that,” he added.
After the Black Stars defeated Nigeria in the play-off round in March, Addo led them to the 2022 World Cup.
“We’re content here in Germany, my family and I.
Even if we win the World Cup and are crowned champions, I indicated I would stand down following the event.
As coach for Ghana, I have quit “In an after-match interview, Otto Addo told the media.
The Ghana Football Association has apologised to Ghanaians for the Black Stars’ inability to progress to the knockout stage of the 2022 World Cup tournament in Qatar.
“We regret our inability to progress to the knockout phase of the competition and offer our profound apologies to the government, the people of Ghana and all stakeholders across the globe,” part of its statement read.
The Authority, shortly after Ghana was dazed by Uruguay by two goals to nil on Friday, released a statement reacting to the disappointing performance exhibited by the Stars.
According to the GFA, “valuable lessons have been learnt from our qualification and participation in the tournament and aim to continue with the positives going into the future.”
— Ghana Football Association (@ghanafaofficial) December 3, 2022
They expressed gratitude to the government, the Ghanaian people, the football family, corporate Ghana, esteemed sponsors and supporters for their “unflinching, unwavering and unalloyed support during the Black Stars FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 campaign.”
Meanwhile, the GFA has announced that it would in due course inform all stakeholders about any further developments concerning the Black Stars.
This has become imperative as the Black Stars are without a coach following the resignation of Otto Addo, who will now be focusing on Borussia Dortmund.
The warning signs had been there, and if the disastrous performance against Brazil wasn’t enough to convince Otto Addo that certain players, regardless of their pedigree and reputation, needed to be benched, then the exhibition match against Switzerland and Portugal in the first Group H match should have.
It makes sense for a coach in charge of a young club to place his faith in the few seasoned players on the roster, but Otto Addo’s trusted players have consistently disappointed, especially when it counts the most.
There is the excuse of leadership and inspiration to be made for Andre Ayew but the obvious truth is that when it comes to what matters most which is producing performance worthy of satisfactory remarks, Andre Ayew has failed, not once, not twice, countless times in the last three years.
As far as the Black Stars and most national teams are concerned, this is not a new phenomenon but this is where a coach is expected to be bold, overlook the stardom and pick less-popular players who deliver in national colors.
The Switzerland game should have provided the blueprint for how Otto Addo was going to deal with the Partey situation.
To be honest it is not an easy move to make and it is one which if not handled properly could upset the dressing room but after that performance by Salis and Elisha Owusu against Switzerland and Partey’s underwhelming performance against Portugal, Otto Addo should have drawn the line. Instead he remained loyal to a global star who once again delivered the opposite of his Arsenal form against Uruguay.
And Baba Rahman.
There is the conspiracy theory that he gets into the team because of his association with some key members within the Ghana Football Association but assuming without admitting that it is the truth, such influence, regardless of who it is coming will not be enough to get him into the starting team unless the coach himself is party to whatever scheme there is.
So regardless of what you think, Baba Rahman presence in the team is the sole decision of coach Otto Addo and the fact that he was drafted into the team after Gideon Mensah’s telling performance against South Korea shows the loyalty and faith Otto Addo had in him.
In return of Otto Addo’s loyalty, the Reading player has persistently displayed disastrous football which once again came alive in the game against Uruguay.
Baba Rahman’s was exposed and the Uruguayans had a field day cooking their attacks from that side. Unfortunately for him, his wing partner Jordan Ayew after that headline-grabbing performance against South Korea went back to default settings.
Inaki Williams came into the team with so much promise and it was understandable as the Black Stars lacked a player of his stature in the attacking area but in three games played at the World Cup where he played mainly in two positions, the Athletic Bilbao forward who switched allegiance from Spain to Ghana failed to deliver.
In all three games, two of which he played as a striker, not once did he hit a shot that was saved by the goalkeeper. Inaki had no shot on target in three games for the Black Stars and he was Otto Addo’s lead striker. How ridiculous.
The Ghana team showed so much promise and there is enough reason to be positive about the future but the undeniable truth is that Otto Addo’s blind loyalty led us into this ditch.
Otto Addo ceases to be the head coach of the Ghana Black Stars following his resignation.
The 47-year-old stepped down after the senior national football team suffered a humiliating defeat to Uruguay today, December 2.
Ghana lost by two goals to nil in a game many Ghanaians expected the players to seek revenge against Luis Suarez, who cost Ghana a semi-final appearance at the 2010 World Cup held in South Africa.
Otto Addo will continue as an assistant coach at Borussia Dortmund.
BREAKING: Otto Addo has stepped down as Ghana manager following their elimination from the World Cup 🇬🇭 pic.twitter.com/iBgWpzvqAN
Ghana head coach Otto Addo has released his first eleven who will be playing against Uruguay Al Janoub Stadium in Qatar.
Black Stars captain Andre Ayew will be leading Ghana once again. He will be receiving support from his brother, Jordan Ayew, who exhibited great skills when Ghana played against South Korea.
The other players in the list include Zigi, Seidu, Baba, Amartey, Salisu, Salis, Partey, Kudus and Inaki.
Tariq Lamptey who has been on the minds of many Ghanaian women is among the substitutes.
The remaining substitutes are Danlad, Odoi, Fatawu, Osman, Aidoo, Semenyo, Barnieh, Manaf, Kyereh, Mensah, Sulemana, Sowah and Djiku.
Ghana will be seeking retribution and all three points against Uruguay, after been denied a spot in the 2010 World Cup semifinals by controversial scorer Luis Suarez’s red card 12 years ago.
A tie would be sufficient to disqualify Uruguay from the 2022 competition and is likely to be sufficient to do so. However, the Black Stars might believe they need a win as backup in case South Korea defeats already-qualified Portugal.
The likes of Suarez, Edinson Cavani, and Diego Godin are no longer essential to La Celeste’s success, despite the fact that some of the Uruguayans from 2010 are still present. Instead, they are being propelled forward by a superb midfield trio consisting of Matias Vecino, Federico Valverde, and Rodrigo Bentancur.
In a 2-3 loss to Portugal, Ghana’s own 2010 veteran Andre Ayew energized his previously sluggish team. Meanwhile, Jordan Ayew pulled up two assists to help his nation upset South Korea 3-2, putting them on the edge of their first knockout stage appearance since 2010.
Team news
Gideon Mensah of Ghana had to leave the match against South Korea in the closing minutes, but it has subsequently been revealed that the left-back was just experiencing cramp, leaving Otto Addo with a fully healthy squad.
Mexican center back Since Ronald Araujo is still recovering from thigh surgery, he is expected to sit this one out as well. However, Diego Alonso is the only other reported absence.
The stats
Ghana will lean heavily on striker Andre Ayew if they are to have any chance of progressing
Ghana’s 3-2 victory over South Korea last time out was their first win at the World Cup since losing on penalties to Uruguay in 2010. They took just one point from the 2014 World Cup, did not qualify in 2018 and lost to Portugal in their opening match in Qatar.
But the Black Stars were hugely fortunate against South Korea. Addo’s men were outperformed on almost every metric, claiming just 37% possession, completing 270 passes to Korea’s 601, taking only seven shots to South Korea’s 22 and scoring with each of their three shots on target.
Uruguay have yet to score at Qatar 2022 but have been unlucky not to, hitting the woodwork three times across their two games against South Korea and Portugal.
Prediction
Uruguay will be frustrated with their one point from two games in Group H, and understandably so.
They were the better team against South Korea but twice hit the post in a 0-0 draw. And they deserved at least a point against Portugal, again hitting the woodwork and having a harsh penalty awarded against them in a 2-0 defeat.
By contrast, Ghana have been the great entertainers of the World Cup.
The Black Stars have been involved in two five-goal thrillers and could be involved in another in their final group-stage outing, so over 2.5 goals looks like a wise addition to BetBuilder selections with LiveScore Bet.
But Ghana’s fortune from their South Korea success may not follow them into this clash.
Uruguay are more technically accomplished in midfield and have been rock-solid in defence since Diego Alonso took over, with La Celeste conceding just one goal in five competitive matches before the start of the World Cup.
It should be a more entertaining match than their previous Group H outings, and this time Uruguay can celebrate in style. A win for La Celeste and over 2.5 goals looks the way to go and is available at 9/5 with Livescore Bet.
Ghana will today play Uruguay in the ongoing 2022 World Cup tournament happening in Qatar.
At exactly 3pm GMT, Otto Addo’s side will ensure they do not break the hearts of Ghanaians by qualifying to the next stage, as well as beat Uruguay to atone for sins of the former team led by Asamoah Gyan.
The two teams have history. For Ghana, it is a bad memory as Luis Suarez, who at the eleventh hour, decided to become a goalkeeper, robbed Ghana of a semi-final slot in the 2010 World Cup held in South Africa.
Former Black Stars captain, Asamoah Gyan, failed to capitalize on the penalty awarded to Ghana.
On the other hand, coach Otto Addo says he is not in search of revenge.
In his interactions with the media, he has stated that their match against Uruguay is just ‘normal’ and is optimistic that Black Stars will progress from Group H.
“For me, it’s a normal game, but like everyone, I was really sad in 2010 when that incident [of Luis Suarez denying Ghana a certain goal] happened and we missed our chance to proceed to the semis. But it is 12 years ago and Friday will be a different match with a different approach,” Addo said as quoted by the Ghana FA website.
“We are confident enough to know that we can beat them and make it to the next round. We are gradually picking up and I know the boys will show a lot of fight and a lot of passion.
“I am sure our efforts will be rewarded and we will go to the next stage.”
On his part, Uruguay forward, Luis Suarez, says he owes Ghanaians no apology for the Black Stars’ quarter final exit at the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
“The first time, I don’t apologise about that,” he told the media at a press conference ahead of Uruguay’s final group game against Ghana at the 2022 World Cup.
“I take the handball – but the Ghana player missed a penalty, not me. Maybe I apologise if I injure a player but in this situation, I take a red card, the referee says penalty, it’s not my fault.”
In Group H, Ghana are second with three points following a 3-2 win over South Korea, while Portugal have already advanced with two wins over the Black Stars and Uruguay.
Uruguay drew with South Korea and are at the bottom of the group with a point, the same as the latter who have a superior goal difference.
Ghana coach, Otto Addo says he is confident enough to know his side can beat Uruguay on Friday.
The West African country will clash with the two-time world champions in their final Group H game at the Al Janoub Stadium.
The Black Stars need just a draw or a win to seal their place in the last 16 while the South American side need a win to progress.
Ghana secured an all-important win against South Korea in their second group game while Uruguay suffered a defeat against Portugal.
Ahead of the game, Addo says he is confident his side will overcome Diego Alonso’s who are just with a point after two games.
“They [Uruguay] have very good strikers, lots of experience and they are a very compact, very good team,” he said.
“Every game will be on edge and we have to be at our best to beat them.
“I am confident enough to know that we can win this game,” he said.
Ghana are aiming for a win after Luis Suarez deliberately blocked a goal-bound header from Dominic Adiyah to crash the country’s chances of playing in the semifinal.
The game has been scheduled to kick off at 15:00GMT.
Ghana coach, Otto Addo has insisted that they will approach their final group game against Uruguay with a careful plan.
The Black Stars will face the two-time world champions at the Al Janoub Stadium with kick-off scheduled at 15:00GMT.
After securing an all-important win against South Korea in their second group game on Monday, Ghana will need to draw or win against the South American side to qualify for the next last 16.
Addo, after the win against Korea, shared that they will analyze the game to be able to map a strategy against Uruguay.
According to him, they approach the game with a careful plan.
“We will analyze the game against South Korea again before we think about Uruguay,” he said.
“We will approach the Uruguay game with a carefully worked strategy,” he added.
Meanwhile, Uruguay are with just a point after suffering a 2-0 defeat against Portugal in their second group game played on Monday.
Black Stars bounced back to winning ways on Monday, November 28, as they defeated South Korea in their second Group H game.
A brace from Mohammed Kudus and another from Mohammed Salisu saw Otto Addo’s side pick up their first points of the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
After a nervy start to the game, the Black Stars found their mojo after the 20th-minute mark with the midfield taking control of the game.
However, the opening goal came 24 minutes into the game with Jordan Ayew creating the chance from a free-kick he won in South Korea’s half.
The Crystal Palace forward sent into the penalty box a troubling cross with Mohammed Salisu pouncing on the loose ball after Andre Ayew’s contact to open the scoring.
The goal was the Southampton star’s second goal in the last three appearances for the national team having scored against Switzerland in an international friendly before the start of the World Cup.
Jordan then set up Mohammed Kudus for the game’s second goal and put the Black Stars in a comfortable position heading into the break.
Mohammed Kudus celebrates scoring for Ghana
Back from recess, Ghana looked certain to continue their dominance with Tariq Lamptey finding the first chance for Ghana. But his effort was far from troubling the South Korea goalkeeper.
That failed effort looked to have been the turning point as South Korea scored two quick goals to level the score.
Gue-Sung Cho beat Salisu to head past Lawrence Ati-Zigi to pull one back while he also rose above Gideon Mensah for the equalizer three minutes later.
While the Black Stars looked to have lost their confidence, a moment of brilliance saw Mensah drive forward and cut back for Inaki Williams, who couldn’t shoot into the net but Kudus was on the end and curled the ball past the goalkeeper to restore Ghana’s lead.
Despite late attempts from the Koreans, the game ended 3-2 with Ghana earning a vital win in Group H.
Otto Addo’s side will now face Uruguay in their last game looking to secure qualification to the next stage of the competition.
Ghana suffered defeat in their World Cup opening game against Portugal and will hope to turn things around against the Koreans.
Cristiano Ronaldo became the first player in World Cup history to score five times, with his second-half penalty giving Portugal the lead against Ghana last Thursday.
Ghana’s Andre Ayew then equalized, but two goals in three minutes from Joao Felix and Rafael Leao secured the victory and moved Portugal to the top of Group H, despite Osman Bukari’s late winner.
Responding to criticisms that Ghana over-respected Portugal, the Black Stars trainer stated in a presser on Sunday that his boys played without any intimidations.
“I don’t think it’s true. Our players did so well. I don’t think we over respected them”.
He continued, “For me, we showed that we could compete with them, even though we had a lot of inexperienced players.
Some even had their debuts in the last game against Switzerland, but they performed”.
The 2016 European Champions, Portugal currently sit top of Group H with three points.
Meanwhile, the defeat means Ghana are bottom of Group H after Uruguay and South Korea played out a goalless draw last Thursday.
Ghana coach Otto Addohas admitted feeling the pressure heading into their second World Cup fixture against South Korea on Monday.
WHAT HAPPENED? The Black Stars will return to action when they take on the Taegeuk Warriors at the Education City Stadium on Monday.
Ghana will head into the fixture seeking victory since they suffered a 3-2 defeat against Portugal in their Group H opener. Meanwhile, South Korea managed a 0-0 draw against Uruguay.
Ahead of the clash, Addo has revealed why they will face a difficult task against the Taegeuk Warriors.
WHAT ADDO SAID: “First of all, surely, we have a chance especially since they played a draw so if we win against South Korea and Portugal win hopefully against Uruguay then we will be second so the chance is still big,” Addo said.
“And surely it will be very, very tough to beat South Korea because they are good. But now we have to win. We are under pressure but they are too.”
THE BIGGER PICTURE: The Black Stars will need a win to stand a chance of reaching the knockout stage. Heading into matchday two, Ghana are fourth without a point while Portugal are top with three points.
WHAT NEXT FOR GHANA? After facing South Korea, Ghana will conclude their group matches against Uruguay at Al Janoub Stadium on Friday.
Head coach of the Black Stars, Otto Addo, has revealed that the hunger of the players to play and succeed ahead of their next World Cup match in Qatar, is making it difficult for him to make decisions.
Addressing a pre-match presser ahead of the team’s Group H game against South Korea, he stressed that Ghanaians will see a more ‘passionate’ Black Stars.
He however disclosed that the enthusiasm of his troops is making it difficult for him to finalise his decisions.
“We will see a passionate team against South Korea. We will see this same passion they showed the last game. Everybody is hungry to play and training [well], making it difficult for me to make decisions”, Otto Addo said.
Meanwhile, coach, Otto Addo, has dismissed assertions that the team over-respected Portugal in their first World Cup clash at Doha’s 974 Stadium.
According to some critics, the team lost their opening Group H game because they were overwhelmed by the calibre of the Portuguese, forcing them to coil into their shells.
But reacting to these concerns, the Black Stars trainer stated in a presser on Sunday that his boys played without any intimidation.
According to him, even though the squad had some inexperienced legs, it did not affect their confidence against the star-studded Portuguese side.
Responding to a question from JoyNews‘ Gary Al-Smith, he said, “I don’t think it’s true. Our players did so well. I don’t think we over respected them”.
He continued, “For me, we showed that we could compete with them, even though we had a lot of inexperienced players.
Some even had their debuts in the last game against Switzerland, but they performed”.
In a match that saw what has been widely described as ‘unfair officiating’, the Black Stars lost by three goals to two against the Portuguese last Thursday, November 24.
After a goalless first half, the Portuguese drew first blood after Ronaldo converted a controversial penalty in the 65th minute.
The lead was soon canceled by Ghanaian skipper, André Dede Ayew in the 73rd minute, after tapping home from a pass by Ajax midfielder, Mohammed Kudus.
But the Portuguese took the lead again and deepened their dominance with goals from João Félix and Rafael Leão in the 78th and 80th minute respectively.
The Stars managed to close the gap with an 89th minute strike from substitute, Osman Bukari, heading home a cross from former Chelsea defender, Baba Rahman.
However, this was not enough to stop the team from conceding their first defeat in the tournament.
The team is therefore poised to make amends in their next match against South Korea, Otto Addo said.
Addressing the press, he said his charges are fired up for their second game in Qatar.
He said Ghanaians will see a passionate Black Stars team against South Korea on Monday.
He could switch to a back and have more men in attacking areas. He is likely to set up his team in a 4-2-3-1 system an approach he feels on when Ghana needed goals against Portugal.
The formation, which was used against Switzerland, Nicaragua, and the latter part of the Portugal game, has given Ghana assurance in attack regarding chances creation and fluidity in build-ups.
Tariq Lamptey
Tariq Lamptey, who made a good impact with his cameo against Portugal could get the nod to start against South Korea.
He contributed immensely to the team’s build-up down the right and helped the team’s transitions.
Alexander Djiku to start from bench
If Otto Addo decides to settle on a four-back for the game, Djiku, who started in a three-man defense will be sacrificed.
Otto Addo could use the slot for a winger in his lineup.
Kamaldeen Sulemana
One key problem Ghana encountered during the Portugal defeat was the lack of a speedster down the flank.
Ghana’s wing game was flat and Otto Addo could change that with the introduction of Kamaldeen on the flanks against South Korea.
Following their loss to Portugal, Black Stars head coach Otto Addo has stated that his team must defeat South Korea to have any chance of leaving the group.
After defender Mohammed Salisu’s challenge in the 65th minute resulted in a penalty for Ronaldo and Portugal, Otto Addo was clearly unhappy.
In the match, Ghana fought hard but ultimately fell short, losing 2-3.
But Otto Addo in his outburst described the penalty as a gift from the referee to Ronaldo who made history as the only male player to score in 5 FIFA World Cups when he converted the penalty against Ghana.
Speaking at a press conference ahead of the second group game against South Korea on Monday, Otto Addo apologized for his remarks and said he hopes to avoid a fine or any kind of punishment for the utterances.
“ First of all I like to apologize for the remarks after the game. I think I was a little bit too emotional and I hope I don’t get a fine. “
Ghana will play Korea on Monday in a game they must avoid defeat if they are to progress to the next stage of the tournament.
Sutton says the former Real Madrid star has a set a ‘terrible example for young kids everywhere’ because of his ‘cheating’ to win the penalty as quoted by Daily Mail.
Ronaldo elected himself to convert the penalty before two more goals were added by Joao Felix and substitute Rafael Leao to complete the victory in the Group H opener of the World Cup.
Ghana head coach Otto Addo was outraged by Elfath’s decision to give the penalty to the Seleçao as he expressed during the post-match conference.
“If somebody scores a goal, congratulations. But this was really a gift. Really a gift. What more can I say? [It was] a special gift from the referee,” Addo said
Despite their efforts and strong performance, it is largely accepted that the Black Stars were their own worst enemy, with coach Otto Addo and Baba Rahman receiving the harshest criticism.
As we review the game, GhanaWeb’s Perez Erzoah Kwaw who is in Qatar covering the tournament highlights the five factors that culminated in the defeat.
Below are the reasons
Five back without wing backs?
Otto Addo’s decision to start with five backs was not shocking but his choice of full-backs was. Baba Rahman at the left and Alidu Seidu at the right meant that the team struggled offensively. Alidu after a jittery start settled eventually but offered little or nothing offensively.
He is a conservative fullback and wasn’t not able to play the wingback as a Tariq Lamptey or Dennis Odoi would have done.
For Baba Rahman, his performance is rather contrasting. He provided the assist for the Osman Bukari goal and yet his display was also error-riddled which led to one of the goals for Portugal.
The referee
The outrage from the likes of Gary Lineker, and Darren Bent inter Alia sums up the performance of the referee. The penalty incident was just one of many incidents where he displayed gross bias in the game.
Watching from pitch side, there were countless instances where Ghana coach Otto Addo had to charge at the fourth referee in protest of the center referee’s decision.
Almost every challenge by a Ghanaian player saw a yellow whereas the Portuguese got away with almost every crime they committed.
On more than five occasions, Partey after picking up a ball looked up front for movement of any of the forwards and fullbacks and there was none.
On one occasion he frustratingly instructed Tariq Lamptey to move and occupy a space that had been created after the Portuguese defender moved inside.
The modern game is all about movement and spaces and the Black Stars lacked the inspiration upfront to create or exploit those spaces very well.
Dead the yellow card ‘excuse’, that substitution makes little or no tactical sense.
Bar the three central defenders who held their own against a strong Portuguese forward, Kudus Mohammed was undoubtedly Ghana’s best player.
He started poorly but grew into the game and was adept at fetching the ball from deep with gliding runs that threatened the Portuguese. He was at the center of anything good that happened to Ghana in the attack.
It is not shocking that the team’s performance took a nadir after his strange substitution.
There were periods where he operated as a striker and moments where he was a midfielder and dropped the deal.
Yes he scored but the goal does not paper over the cracks in his play. He struggled and so was Ghana. He may be Ghana’s most capped player now and his experience must count for something but his place as a state must be based on merit and not nostalgia.
Only five countries are representing Africa at the ongoing 2022 World Cup tournament happening in Qatar.
Ghana, Tunisia, Senegal, Morocco, and Cameroon are those representing the continent.
This time around, all of these teams are being led by their own respective national coach, which is unprecedented.
Otto Addo is leading the Black Stars of Ghana, Rigobert Song is handling Cameroon, Aliou Cisse leads Senegal, while Morocco is being led by Walid Regragui and Jalel Kadri is leading the charge for Tunisia.
The coaches and how they are currently performing:
Otto Addo
Ghana’s head coach Otto Addo (R) reacts during the international friendly football match between Brazil and Ghana at The Oceane Stadium in Le Havre, northern France on September 23, 2022. (Photo by Damien MEYER / AFP)
The 47-year-old faced defeat in his opener against Portugal on Thursday, November 24. The scoreline read 3:2 at the end of the game. Ghana bounced back during the second half of the game.
Otto Addo, a former midfielder says Ghana is under pressure to qualify. Ghana will face South Korea next week Monday and, subsequently, Uruguay on December 2.
Aliou Cisse
In this file photo, Senegal’s head coach Aliou Cisse holds a Senegalese flag as he celebrates after winning the Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) 2021 final football match between Senegal and Egypt at Stade d’Olembe in Yaounde on February 6, 2022. CHARLY TRIBALLEAU / AFP
The 46-year-old who was part of the Senegal team that reached the 2002 World Cup quarter-finals in South Korea suffered a two nil defeat against Netherlands in their opening game. The Senegalese players have however proven to be formidable despite their defeat and the absence of their star player, Sadio Mane.
Today, Senegal will play against Qatar. They will later face Ecuador on November 29.
Rigobert Song
Cameroon’s coach Rigobert Song Bahanag wears a One All Sports jacket during a training session at the Ahmadou Ahidjo stadium, in Yaounde on November 6, 2022, ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2022. (Photo by Daniel Beloumou Olomo / AFP)
Also 46-years old, Song could not secure victory for Cameroon when his side came up against Switzerland on Thursday. Their defeat was a goal to nil.
Song who masterminded a shock World Cup play-off victory over Algeria will next week Monday face Serbia. Brazil will be their next contender, whom they face on December 2.
Walid Regragui
Morocco’s coach Walid Regragui attends a training session in Doha on November 16, 2022, ahead of the Qatar 2022 World Cup football tournament. (Photo by FADEL SENNA / AFP)
Morocco being led by Walid, 47, met a stalemate when they faced Croatia on November 23. None of the teams managed to score. Beginning his coaching career in 2012, Walid will once again bring his experience to test when Morocco faces Belgium this Sunday.
On December 1, they come up against Canada.
Jalel Kadri
Last but not least, and oldest among the coaches, Jadel, 50, also could not secure a win for Tunisia, but neither did he lose. He drew against Denmark on November 22.
Taking over from Mondher Kebaier, will have to play a fast one on Australia on Friday to secure a place in the tournament. Tunisia face France on November 30.
From the performances so far, these five African countries would have to up their game as they are not in a comfortable lead.
Tunisia’s head coach Jalel Kadri takes part in a training session at Al Egla training facility in Doha on November 17, 2022 ahead of the Qatar 2022 World Cup football tournament. (Photo by MIGUEL MEDINA / AFP)
Pele, Uwe Seeler and Miroslav Klose have all netted at four World Cups but Ronaldo is now out in front in that regard after scoring at a fifth finals.
Here, Stats Perform looks at each of Ronaldo’s previous seven goals on the biggest stage of them all, three of which came in one game.
Portugal 2-0 Iran (Frankfurt, 2006)
Ronaldo scored from the penalty spot for the first of his World Cup goals against Iran in 2006, making him Portugal’s youngest ever scorer in the competition at 21 years and 132 days, a record that stands to this day. Despite Portugal finishing third that year, a teenage Ronaldo did not add to his goals tally.
The Selecao put seven goals past North Korea, with Ronaldo scoring the sixth of those to end a two-year wait for an international goal. Portugal failed to find the net in any of their other three matches in South Africa and were eliminated by Spain in the last 16.
Portugal 2-1 Ghana (Brasilia, 2014)
Ronaldo scored a late winner in Portugal’s final group match against Ghana — a simple finish following some poor defending — but it was not enough to prevent his side from exiting Brazil 2014 in the first round behind the United States and tournament winners Germany.
Entering the tournament as the world’s best player, Ronaldo lived up to his billing by scoring a hat-trick in what will go down as one of the all-time great individual World Cup performances.
After opening the scoring from the penalty spot, the superstar forward beat David de Gea with a shot from outside the box and then scored a late free-kick to rescue a point in a topsy-turvy thriller.
Portugal 1-0 Morocco (Moscow, 2018)
Ronaldo was not finished there, either, as he made it four goals for the tournament with an unstoppable header inside four minutes against Morocco, with that proving to be the winner.
However, his goalscoring touch eluded him in the knockout rounds as he fired a blank in the 2-1 loss to Uruguay in the last 16.
Black Stars head coach Otto Addo has admitted his side are under pressure to qualify from Group H after losing 3-2 to Portugal in their 2022 World Cup opener on Thursday.
Black Stars began their campaign on a wrong note, losing narrowly to Fernando Santos’ side.
After the goalless first half, CristianoRonaldo opened the scoring for Portugal via the penalty spot but Ghana equalised through skipper Andre Ayew from close range.
Portugal responded with two goals in two minutes to seal the points, Joao Felix converting a delightfully clipped finish and substitute Rafael Leao coolly stroking in just seconds after coming on.
Osman Bukari headed in a late consolation for Ghana and there could have been real drama in the ninth minute of stoppage time.
“First of all, surely, we have a chance especially because they played a draw so if we win against South Korea and Portugal win hopefully against Uruguay then we will be second so the chance is still big,” coach Addo said after the game.
“And surely it will be very, very tough to beat South Korea because they are good. But now we have to win. We are under pressure but they too.”
The defeat means Black Stars are bottom of Group H after Uruguay and South Korea played out a goalless draw earlier on Thursday.
The Black Stars will now switch their attention to their attention to the match against South Korea on Monday before taking on Uruguay on December 2 at the Education City stadium.
Ghana coach Otto Addo fumed at the decision to award Portugal a penaltyin their thrilling win over the Black Stars on Thursday, declaring: “I don’t know if the VAR wasn’t paying attention”.
Cristiano Ronaldo became the first player to net at five editions of the World Cup when he opened the scoring from the spot at Stadium 974, as Portugal eventually ran out 3-2 winners.
Ghana, however, were incensed by referee Ismail Elfath’s decision to award the spot-kick, believing Mohammed Salisu won the ball with his challenge on the five-time Ballon d’Or-winner.
Asked whether Ronaldo benefitted from a favourable decision, Addo said: “I think you’d have to ask the referee. I have no proof of that, but we were playing the ball, then there was a contact.
5 – Cristiano Ronaldo has become the first player to score five in different editions of the World Cup (2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022). Limitless. pic.twitter.com/w6noDKxoVR
“If I look at that moment, it’s incredible. If you look at a replay, we played the ball. It was actually a foul against us.
“The game was hectic, we made a few mistakes to allow the second and third goals, opening the lines for them to pass it. It was a little bit unlucky.
“With a bit of luck, we could have got one point. The referee was not in our favour. In my view, our yellow cards were deserved, but for me, holding jerseys is also a yellow card. I don’t know what was wrong, but he was really not in our favour.
“I asked some people from FIFA if I could talk briefly to the referee in a calm and quiet way, but they said he is in a meeting and it’s not possible.
“I think they have match analysis, so it’s the truth, but surely you can have some minutes for the coach.”
Ghana full-back Tariq Lamptey was also asked about the decision, responding: “I think you saw it. You can give your opinion.”
The African nation have now lost their opening match on three of their four participations at the World Cup (W1), but Lamptey believes there were plenty of positives to take.
“Obviously, I would have liked to get the win,” Lamptey said. “They have a lot of world-class players in their team, but we felt like we could have got the result we deserved, and we were so close to getting that.
“We know we played well, but it’s a difficult one as we know we could have got something. We’ll put that energy into our next game and give it our best.”
4 – Portugal 3-2 Ghana was just the fourth #FIFAWorldCup match to see as many as five goals having been 0-0 at half-time, after:
Poland 5-1 Peru (1982)
Netherlands 2-3 Brazil (1994)
Belgium 3-2 Japan (2018)
Portugal is one of the heavy favorites to win the World Cup because of their exceptional talent.
The German-trained player stated the Black Stars will need to be brave against the Portuguese team despite their quality during a press conference prior to the game.
“We are capable of competing with them. We must undoubtedly exercise great bravery, he said.
Meanwhile, Ghana will count on a few big names including Thomas Partey, Kudus Mohammed, Inaki Williams, Andre Ayew, and Jordan Ayew to make things tick for them.
Ghana will come off against Portugal on Thursday, November 24, 2022, at Stadium 974 (Rass Abou Aboud).
When the Black Stars managed to halt Brazil’s rout in a pre-World Cup friendly on September 23 2022, there was an alloy of emotions as sentiments, accompanied by non-stop commentary swept across the country.
The Selecao had run the Black Stars off the field in 40 minutes, scoring 3 and threatening to add more in the second half but Ghana had different ideas. Otto Addo made changes to the team from the first half, with the shape suffering adjustments consequently.
After starting a back 4 with Daniel Amartey and Alexander Djiku as a centre-back pair, and Dede Ayew playing in midfield with Mohammed Kudus and Baba Iddrisu in a 4-3-3, the introduction of new boys; Inaki Williams and Mohammed Salisu, saw the team alternate to a back 3. And whether coincidentally or through calculated measure, a picture of a very nervy and disbanded Black Stars taken in the first half, was repainted.
Although they failed to hit the target in the second-half, there was an improvement from the first, attempting more shots (6) after half-time. Also, they sustained more attacks (41) as compared to 29 from the first 45 minutes.
Besides this improvement in offensive metrics from the Black Stars, Ghana restricted the Brazilians to fewer attempts at goal (8), after 13 in the first half. Overall, the complexion of the entire game had changed, and had Ghana been a little more efficient in the second half, they could have grabbed two goals.
As a result, Ghana’s 31.73 million coaches (lol) were left debating between the two systems, in attempts to decipher what the team should adopt as the first game in Qatar approaches. And with hours to kick-off, Joy Sports’ Mishael Quaynor takes a look at what the technical team could be considering before choosing between the two systems.
The ‘Back 4’
Right from the get-go, Otto Addo and the technical team have not shied away from indicating playing with two centre-backs and full-backs is their desired way for the national team.
A common feature since their taking over has seen Ghana play with two attacking number 8s anchored by a sole defensive midfielder in a 4-3-3, and this has been an advantage as when in possession, it has provided the team numerous approaches to maintain control in games.
In all of Ghana’s competitive games under Addo, the team has averaged 57.5% of possession, with the lowest coming in the 1-1 draw with Nigeria in the World Cup qualifiers, and the highest, away to Central African Republic in the Afcon qualifiers.
Comparatively, Ghana recorded an average possession of 51.3% in the 2021 Afcon campaign, which had a highest value of 63% versus Comoros, and 38% as the lowest in the defeat to Morocco. And in Ghana’s three games at Afcon 2021, the Black Stars created 17 chances in total, and managed to create 28 in Otto’s first three games as boss.
So definitely with his back 4, the team’s in-game philosophy has changed. But besides this domination Ghana has carved out, in Otto’s back 4, the Black Stars have also adopted various in-game approaches to games.
Ghana’s ‘numerous approaches’ has been exhibited by their malleability in the back 4, alternating with a 2-1-4-3 and even a 3-4-3, 3-1-4-2 and 3-2-4-1 – all in a back 4. A fundamental benefit of this flexibility is the Black Stars become a slightly difficult team to defend against, since when players rotate positions and roles, it makes it a complex task for opponents to control the team.
The back 4 has also been integral to Addo’s usage of dual attacking midfielders, roles which Kudus and Jordan Ayew were first deployed in, in Addo’s first game at home to Nigeria. Daniel-Kofi Kyereh and Dede Ayew have also been tried in the roles.
However, the profiles required in the dual 8 means Kofi Kyereh will be a better fit in Qatar. Alongside their attacking responsibilities, the dual 8s have important defensive roles once the team is out of possession, and in the first half versus Brazil, Dede Ayew struggled with it, directly leading to the Selecao’s second goal.
Kyereh, who plays as an attacking midfielder at Freiburg, has averaged 0.6 tackles per game in the 2021/22 season and averaging 0.4 clearances as well as 0.3 possession wins in 9 Bundesliga games. Meanwhile, Woo-yeong Jeong, also an attacking midfielder for Freiburg averages 0.4 tackles per game, averaged 0.4 clearances and 0.4 possession regains in 12 games.
At the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations, the midfielder posted impressive numbers in a disappointing campaign for the national team with an average of 1.0 interceptions per game, 2.3 tackles per game, won back possession 1.0 and 0.3 clearances.
His ability to do a job defensively means he could be effective alongside Kudus as dual number 8s, since they both have credible amounts of attacking talent to play in those roles. Besides, their similar, yet contrasting roles – Kudus, who is more of a dribbler and ball-carrier, and Kyereh, who plays tidier with one touch passing, could be compared to the Modric-Kroos relationship at Real Madrid. Meaning, both could compliment each other well in Qatar.
Besides the 4-3-3, the Black Stars also trialed a 4-4-2 in the friendly with Nicaragua, playing Inaki alongside Kudus – who played a similar role like he has at Ajax this season.
The ‘Back 3’
Despite Ghana’s seeming insistence to play with a four, Addo has displayed an appreciable level of tactical adaptability.
As indicated earlier, versus Brazil, the Black Stars switched to a back 3 in the second half, consequently halting their onslaught by the South Americans – much to the admiration of Ghanaians. But it was not the first time a back 3 was used. It first happened away to Nigeria’s Super Eagles in Abuja, where Ghana had to withstand torrents of pressure from their hosts.
As a result, they held on to secure a 1-1 result and qualify for the World Cup. The basic idea of a ‘back 3’ is to add more presence in defense. In France, Ghana’s back 3 saw the introduction of Mohammed Salisu after the withdrawal of Kamaldeen Sulemana. In Abuja, Jordan Ayew was whisked and Andy Yiadom introduced at right wing back.
Dennis Odoi, who was playing right back in the first half, was moved to left wing back and Gideon Mensah – left back in the first half – repositioned as a left-sided centre-back. This also reveals Addo’s ability to make do with resources available, but he might not have to worry so much in Qatar after calling up an array of profiles into his final squad.
The basic idea of a back 3, which introduces a third centre-back, is to add more presence in defense. With a third centre-back and two wing-backs who tuck in when the team is out of possession, there is a backline of five in defense.
Also ahead of the five are either three midfielders or four, depending on how the team decides to shape up; either in a 5-3-2 or 5-4-1.
Against Brazil, the back 3 was introduced as Ghana conceded too many spaces between midfield and defense. A third body in central defense means a centre-back could step up to engage opposition in between the lines without worrying too much about space left behind him.
Ghana in their defensive shape versus Brazil. Pay attention to Amartey’s body positioning
In Abuja, its introduction was to mitigate Nigeria’s excessive use of the wide areas in an attempt to open up the Black Stars. So defensively, the team adopted a 5-4-1 diamond, to enable lateral midfielders conveniently shadow Nigeria’s midfield runners while wing-backs could confidently step out to engage Nigeria in the wide areas.
Djiku shifts wider, as Yiadom steps out to press Nigeria’s winger. Partey prepares to pressure .. should he get the ball
But Ghana’s shape during build-up in a back 4 usually has the defensive midfielder drop in to form a back 3 with the two centre-backs. So starting in a straight back 3, Ghana can easily play out in their desired shape without having to sacrifice a midfielder.
Ghana’s back 3 during build up with a double pivot in midfield.
What happens in Qatar?
“I adapt to the opponent, I take a close look at the strengths and weaknesses of the opponent, and based on that I play a system so it’s flexible. I have many styles,” Otto Addo said to the press, and considering Ghana’s opponents in Group H it’s probably a wise approach.
However, there is bigger headache for the Black Stars, a team blessed with a plethora of attacking talents yet below par efficiency. Ghana’s top scorer from club level heading into the World Cup is Kudus with 10 goals in 21 games. Meanwhile Inaki, Sowah and Kamaldeen have a combined 8 goals in 52 appearances. Dede Ayew – Ghana’s top scorer in the squad heading into the World Cup – has managed only two goals in seven league games with Al Saad this season.
Critically, while creativity has not been a Black Stars problem since Otto Addo took charge of the Black Stars – creating 62 chances – efficiency has been problematic, as only 12.9% has been turned into goals.
As a result, the Black Stars will need to be measured in their approach. Ghana’s ‘back 4’ is targeted at establishing dominance and exerting control, and while the inability to finish off opposition has not yet left the Stars licking their blushes in any competitive game, the fire quality of Uruguay and Portugal especially, could mean they are due an awakening.
*Numbers for game versus Nicaragua unavailable
It is for this poor conversion record it is imperative the Black Stars introduce a third body in defence via the back 3. And the notion that the system is defensive and floors a team’s attacking edge is overly exaggerated.
Netherlands boss, Louis Van Gaal explained: “You have no idea at all. I’m sorry to say it, but you’re just a journalist. You want to implement your vision, but you have no vision in football. You have a vision for the newspaper, fantastic. You attract attention, and so on,” he told a Dutch journalist.
“But with 5-3-2 or 5-2-3 you can attack incredibly well. Chelsea [under Tuchel] show it every time, with different formations. And I take my hat off to Mr. Tuchel, because he got in halfway through [last season].”
There’s a fine line between a defensive and an offensive approach when employing a back 3, and it takes committed attention to detail to ensure a team is not overly on one side of the line, and with the talent available – a core of Alexander Djiku, Daniel Amartey and Mohammed Salisu, as well as the combination of the Black Stars technical team, Ghana could just flourish in the system.
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Ghana coach, Otto Addo, has admitted that they are in a tough group but his side is capable of beating any opposition ahead of the 2022 World Cup.
The Black Stars, who are making their fourth appearance at the Mundial are hoping to make history after exiting the group phase in 2014 in Brazil.
Ghana’s best performance came in 2010 where they played in the quarterfinals.
After missing out in the last edition in 2018 in Russia, Addo, who masterminded Ghana’s return to the Mundial says his team can cause an upset should they progress from Group H, where they are pitted against Portugal, South Korea, and Uruguay.
“Everything is possible. As I’ve said, we have three strong opponents in our group. If we don’t perform as we need to, or if we’re not able to implement our tactics then it’ll be very difficult,” he told FIFA in an interview.
“Especially because Portugal, Uruguay, and the Korea Republic are very strong opponents with qualities on and off the pitch.
“It will be difficult to compete with them but, as I’ve said, we have the quality to beat them. If we progress from the group, anything is possible,” Addo, who also serves as Borussia Dortmund’s talent coach added.
The Black Stars wrapped up their preparation with a 2-0 win over Switzerland on Thursday in Abu Dhabi with Mohammed Salisu and Antione Semenyo scoring the goals.
Ghana will open their campaign against Portugal on November 24 at Stadium 974 in Doha.
Four days later, the Black Stars return to action with a clash with South Korea at the Education City Stadium in Al Rayyan.
Ghana will wrap up their group stage adventure with their much-anticipated encounter with Uruguay at Al Janoub Stadium in Al Wakrah.
The 22nd edition of the Mundial has been scheduled to kick off on Sunday, November 20 to December 18.
President of the Ghana Football Association [GFA], Kurt Okraku has called on Ghanaians to support Otto Addo and the rest of the technical team ahead of the 2022 World Cup.
Ghana wrapped up their preparations with a 2-0 win against Switzerland in a friendly on Thursday in Abu Dhabi.
The Black Stars are expected to arrive in Qatar for the tournament later today.
With Ghana set to open their campaign against Portugal on Thursday, November 24 at Stadium 974 in Doha, Mr. Okraku has called for support for the technical team.
“We have absolute confidence in our technical team led by Otto Addo. They’ve been working hard to put a squad that is truly Ghanaian together,” he said.
“We have to give this technical team respect, we have to give them support and we have to pray for them because it’s not been an easy road,” he added.
The 22nd edition of the Mundial gets underway on Sunday.\
Four days later, the Black Stars return to action with a clash with South Korea at the Education City Stadium in Al Rayyan.
Ghana will wrap up their group stage adventure with their much-anticipated encounter with Uruguay at Al Janoub Stadium in Al Wakrah.
The Black Stars having missed out in the last edition hosted in Russia in 2018 will be hoping to improve their performance in Qatar after exiting at the group phase during the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
Black Stars head coach, Otto Addo has named Hearts of Oak forward Daniel Afriyie Barnieh in his lineup to face Switzerland in a pre-World Cup friendly.
Afriyie Barnieh will play on the wings in Otto Addo’s 4-2-3-1 system for the friendly.
Barnieh, who is one of two local players in Ghana’s 26-man squad for the 2022 World Cup delivered an unforgettable performance in his first start for Ghana.
His gliding runs down the right side for Ghana in the first half created headaches for the Swiss defence who struggled to deal with the former Under-20 forward.
Barnieh created a number of chances and could have earned Ghana a penalty had the centre referee spotted the tripping of him by Eray Comert.
Mohammed Kudus cut into a post-match interview to commend Afriyie Barnieh for his excellent performance in the game.
“Chaley, today you did well. I really enjoyed your performance” he said while patting the back of Afriyie Barnieh who was speaking to Joy FM in a post-match interview.
Former Ghana international George Owu has urged coach Otto Addo to trust Abdul Manaf Nurudeen and make him the first-choice goalkeeper for the Black Stars at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
Nurudeen, who plays for KAS Eupen will be competing for the No.1 spot with Asante Kotoko goalkeeper, Danlad Ibrahim and Lawrence Ati-Zigi of St Gallen.
Ghana’s first choice and second choice shot-stoppers Joseph Wollacot and Richard Ofori have been ruled out of the tournament due to injuries.
Manaf put up an impressive display for Ghana during their penalty shootouts win over Chile in the 2022 Kirin Cup in June, saving three penalties.
“It’s unfortunate that Richard Ofori and Joseph Wollacot will miss out [of the World Cup] because they have the experience,” George Owu told Nhyira FM.
“Danlad is a young goalkeeper who has been in the youth sides, the local Black Stars but he needs to be monitored for some time to learn more.
“But if you look at the other two goalkeepers [Manaf & Ati Zigi], I think Manaf can do it because when given the opportunity in Japan, he proved it and Ati Zigi has been a bit on and off.
“I think he [Manaf Nurudeen] built his confidence at the Kirin tournament and the players and the coaches had trust in him as well.
“Though he was on a standby, if he’s back in the team now, why can’t he keep the post for Ghana?” He asked.
Ghana head coach, Otto Addo has handed Tariq Lamptey his first Ghana start in the friendly match against Switzerland today.
The Black Stars are facing off with their Swiss counterpart in an international friendly match this morning in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
Ahead of kick-off at 10:00am, Ghana ahead coach Otto Addo has named his starting eleven for the clash.
The team has goalkeeper Lawrence Ati-Zigi in the post and will be protected by a defense that includes Tariq Lamptey, Baba Rahman, Daniel Amartey, and Salisu Mohammed.
RC Len midfielder Abdul Salis Samed is in the starting eleven alongside Belgium-based Elisha Owusu.
Andre Ayew is also starting with his brother Jordan Ayew while Hearts of Oak star Daniel Afriyie Barnieh has been handed his maiden start for the Black Stars.
Ghana is using this morning’s friendly to prepare for the 2022 FIFA World Cup which starts on Sunday, November 20.
The Black Stars are hoping to put up a good performance to inspire confidence ahead of the start of the mundial.
Checkout the Black Stars’ starting eleven for the Switzerland friendly below:
Ghana head coach, Otto Addo has provided Tariq Lamptey his first Ghana start in the friendly match against Switzerland.
The Black Stars are facing off with their Swiss counterpart in an international friendly match on Thursday morning in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
Ahead of kick-off at 10:00am, Ghana ahead coach Otto Addo has named his starting eleven for the clash.
The team has goalkeeper Lawrence Ati-Zigi in the post and will be protected by a defense that include Tariq Lamptey, Baba Rahman, Daniel Amartey, and Salisu Mohammed.
Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey is in the starting eleven alongside Belgium-based Elisha Owusu.
Andre Ayew is also starting with his brother Jordan Ayew while Hearts of Oak star Daniel Afriyie Barnieh has been handed his maiden start for the Black Stars.
Ghana is using this morning’s friendly to prepare for the 2022 FIFA World Cup which starts on Sunday, November 20.
The Black Stars are hoping to put up a good performance to inspire confidence ahead of the start of the mundial.
Checkout the Black Stars’ starting eleven for the Switzerland friendly below:
Ghana head coach, Otto Addo has disclosed that it was not easy for him to inform players of his decision to exclude them from his final 26-man squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Before selecting his 26-man squad, coach Otto Addo submitted a squad of 55 players to FIFA as his provisional list.
On Monday, he announced his final squad for the Black Stars’ campaign at the world cup during a press conference in Accra.
Speaking to journalist, Coach Otto Addo noted that he was not faced with any challenge in selecting the squad.
However, he said it was tough for him to break the news to players he omitted from his squad.
“Announcing the final squad was not a big deal. The big deal was calling of the players to tell them they were not part. For me that was the worst part,” Coach Otto Addo told journalists at the press conference.
Ghana at the 2022 FIFA World Cup will be one of five African countries representing the continent.
The Black Stars will compete in Group H of the group stages of the tournament. In that group, Ghana will battle it out with two-time champions Uruguay, as well as European giants Portugal.
The other group opponent is South Korea from Asia.
While the 2022 FIFA World Cup will commence on Sunday, November 20, Ghana’s Black Stars will play their first match on November 24.
Subsequently, Ghana will take on South Korea on November 28 before finishing the group stages campaign with a rematch against Uruguay.
Black Stars held their final training session ahead of their pre-World Cup friendly against Switzerland on Thursday in Abu Dhabi.
The West African powerhouse will engage the European country before the start of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Ghana who are returning to the global showpiece will be hoping to make impact despite being paired in what seems to be a ‘Group of Death’.
The team pitched camp in Abu Dhabi on Monday, where 23 players reported to camp to begin preparation for the friendly and the World Cup tournament.
But on Tuesday, 25 players participated in the teams training in the Asian following the arrival of Kamaldeen Sulemana and Alexander Djiku.
Otto Addo and his charges held their final training session on Thursday afternoon ahead of their clash with Switzerland.
Ghana will open their campaign against Portugal on November 24 at Stadium 974 in Doha.
Four days later, the Black Stars return to action with a clash with South Korea at the Education City Stadium in Al Rayyan.
Ghana will wrap up their group stage adventure with their much-anticipated encounter with Uruguay at Al Janoub Stadium in Al Wakrah.
The Black Stars having missed out in the last edition hosted in Russia in 2018 will be hoping to improve their performance in Qatar after exiting the group phase during the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
Only three sides from the continent have ever progressed to the quarter-finals; Cameroon in 1990, Senegal in 2002, and Ghana in 2010.
Ghana will be hoping to progress from the group stage at this year’s tournament.
The 47-year-old trainer on Monday named his final squad for the tournament that has been slated for November 20 to December 18.
The technical team has come under criticism after Jeffrey Schlupp and Joseph Paintsil were dropped from the squad.
“I think this team that we have assembled is our (technical team) decision and it must be respected and supported by everyone who loves Ghana,” the Dortmund talent trainer said.
“Many thanks to the Ghana Football Association’s top hierarchy for giving me the space to work on this decision.
“And what I have decided is based on my key performance index and other factors.”
Otto Addo when asked about the omission of Crystal Palace Jeffrey Schlupp said: “Our focus is on the team and I have had a chat with anyone we did not name.
“That’s not how we build a team. The focus should be on the team and not anything else. We are ready to compete and we will do that.”
Ghana will play Switzerland in a friendly on Thursday in Abu Dhabi.
The Black Stars who are making their fourth appearance in the Mundial will open its campaign against Portugal on November 24 at Stadium 974 in Doha.
Four days later, the Black Stars return to action with a clash with South Korea at the Education City Stadium in Al Rayyan.
Ghana will wrap up its group stage adventure with its much-anticipated encounter with Uruguay at Al Janoub Stadium in Al Wakrah.
The Black Stars are expected to arrive in Doha on November 19.
The 22nd edition of the tournament has been scheduled to kick off from November 20 to December 18.
Ghana head coach Otto Addo has hinted at the possibility of his team playing more aggressive against South Korea if they lose their opening group game against Portugal at the 20222 FIFA World Cup.
Black Stars. who are the lowest-ranked team at the tournament have been drawn in Group H alongside Portugal, South Korea and Uruguay.
Ghana will take on Portugal in their first game on November 24 before playing South Korea and Uruguay on November 28 and December 2 respectively.
‘The match against Korea will depend on the results of the first match against Portugal,” the 47-year-old said.
“If we lose, we have to be more aggressive in the South Korean game. The result of Korea’s match against Uruguay is the same.”
On facing all three opponents at the World Cup, he told FIFA, “We’re going up against three strong opponents and we could lose all three games or win all three. It’s up to us and how we adapt to their playing style, how we stop them, how we work together as a team. We need to play intelligent football, exploit our opponents’ weaknesses and bring our own strengths to the fore.”
Ghana secured a 4th FIFA World Cup tournament having participated in 2006, 2010, and 2014 in Germany, South Africa, and Brazil after drawing 1-1 against Nigeria in the return leg of the final play-offs at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium in Abuja to seal qualification on the away goals rule.
The 2022 FIFA World Cup takes place between November 20 and December 18, 2022.
Only three sides from the continent have ever progressed to the quarter-finals; Cameroon in 1990, Senegal in 2002, and Ghana in 2010.
Ghana will be hoping to progress from the group stage at this year’s tournament.
Black Stars will take on Switzerland on Thursday in their final preparatory game before jetting to Qatar for the global showpiece.
Otto Addo, head coach of the Black Stars has given explained how he selected players for Ghana’s final squad for the World Cup.
Otto Addo sitting alongside Ghana Football Association officials announced Ghana’s final squad for the tournament yesterday.
Qatar will host the World Cup from November 20 until December 18, 2022. After the tournament in South Korea and Japan in 2002, this will be the second World Cup completely hosted in Asia and the first World Cup to ever be held in the Arab world. Furthermore, the tournament is planned to be the last with a 32-team field; for the tournament in the United States, Mexico, and Canada in 2026, the field is planned to grow to 48 teams.
Charlton Athletic goalkeeper Jojo Wollacott, Orlando Pirates goalkeeper Richard Ofori, and Real Mallorca midfielder Baba Iddrisu are all out of the squad due to injuries.
Meanwhile, Crystal Palace midfielder Jeffrey Schlupp and Genk attacker Joseph Paintsil have been left out for various reasons.
Addressing journalists after announcing his squad for the World Cup, Addo said: “I see them every weekend this is the first thing the second thing was the whole process it is not like…it even done before our president was very hardworking to get all these players for Ghana. At the end its my decision it is a little complicated because surely I have to look at every player I have to look at players from the local league I have to look at players from Europe,”
“It is difficult to satisfy all I know that I will disappoint some players for sure but everybody tried to get the best squad possible. It is not about local players or non players it is all about performance, training some will say this is 3 or 4 days of training,”
“You can impress me within 1,2,3 days if I see that you adapt to show that what I want to see then also putting in your own style you are brilliant. So a player like Osman Bukari when we played against Nigeria he was on standby due to injuries he came inside and in training I was like ok he convince me and I put him in the game against Nigeria he did well,”
The Black Stars of Ghana is in Group H alongside Uruguay, Portugal, and South Korea. Ghana will play Portugal on 24th November at the Stadium 974, South Korea on 28th November at the Education City Stadium, and play their final group game against Uruguay on 2nd December at the Al Janoub Stadium.
Below is Ghana’s full squad:
Goalkeepers: Lawrence Ati Zigi, Abdul Nurudeen, Ibrahim Danlad
Defenders: Denis Odoi, Tariq Lamptey, Alidu Seidu, Daniel Amartey, Joseph Aidoo, Alexander Djiku, Mohammed Salisu, Abdul-Rahman Baba, Gideon Mensah
Midfielders: André Ayew, Thomas Partey, Elisha Owusu, Salis Abdul Samed, Mohammed Kudus, Daniel-Kofi Kyereh
Forwards Daniel Barnieh Afriyie, Kamal Sowah, Issahaku Abdul Fatawu, Osman Bukari, Inaki Williams, Antoine Semenyo, Jordan Ayew, Kamaldeen Sulemana
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