Ghana's Minister of Sports and Recreation, Kofi Adams, has voiced concerns over the Ghana Football Association’s (GFA) decision to retain Otto Addo as the head coach of the Black Stars. This decision comes despite the team's disappointing performance in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers, where they failed to secure a single victory. The poor showing led to widespread criticism from fans, many of whom called for Addo’s dismissal. However, the GFA stood by their coach, choosing instead to strengthen the technical team ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. Adams revealed in an interview with 3Sports that he had questioned the GFA’s rationale during a meeting with the leadership of the association and the Black Stars' technical team. Although the GFA provided explanations for their decision, Adams remained skeptical about whether retaining Addo was the right move for the national team. He acknowledged that while the timing of the World Cup qualifiers made it difficult to implement immediate changes, his concerns about the team’s leadership and performance still stood.
Despite his reservations, Adams admitted that making drastic changes so close to crucial matches could have been counterproductive. The Black Stars are set to face Chad and Madagascar in the upcoming World Cup qualifying fixtures, and replacing the head coach at this stage would have left the team without stable leadership. He emphasized that, given the short time frame, the priority should be to prepare the team effectively rather than focus on replacing the coach. Adams noted that if a decision had been made to sack Addo, the GFA would have struggled to find a competent replacement in time for the qualifiers, potentially causing further disruptions. He also stressed that his primary objective as the Minister of Sports is to ensure the team’s success, regardless of whether he personally agreed with the GFA’s decision. For now, he urged all stakeholders to rally behind the current technical team and support their efforts to secure positive results in the upcoming matches.
Adams also pointed out that, despite the decision to retain Addo, the GFA had made some adjustments to the technical staff, bringing in experienced figures such as former Cameroon coach Winfried Schäfer as the team’s technical director. He expressed hope that these changes would bring improvements in the team’s discipline and overall performance. However, he hinted that the situation might be reassessed in the future if the team continues to struggle. As Ghana prepares to take on Chad and Madagascar on March 21 and March 24, the focus remains on ensuring the team is well-prepared and ready to compete at the highest level. While doubts persist about Addo’s ability to lead the Black Stars to success, the minister stressed the importance of unity and support for the national team. Whether or not the GFA’s decision will pay off remains to be seen, but for now, Adams believes that maintaining stability within the squad is the best course of action.
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