Former Sports Minister Elvis Afriyie Ankrah feels that dismissing the Black Stars Head Coach addresses only a small part of the challenges facing the senior national team.
His remarks come in response to reports brewing from the doorsteps of the Ghana Football Association suggesting Otto Addo may be replaced by a foreign coach following Ghana’s defeat to Sudan.
Afriyie Ankrah believes there are deeper, underlying issues that need attention beyond merely parting ways with the former Borussia Dortmund trainer scout.
For me, I think it has to be a more scientific conversation because there are underlying problems and those problems are not doubted and I’m not saying I’m not an expert, I was just a minister, it doesn’t make you an expert, but if we do an honest objective analysis, much by much, we look at performers, we look at bringing ourselves, we look at results, etc.
We do a very scientific analysis and we think that there are deficiencies has to be dealt with. If there are underlying causes beyond the coach, then if you bring in a new coach, you will still reap the same or worse results.
So, more often than not, the decisions are more emotional than scientific, you know, and there are no strategic decisions.
So, Otto Addo, he has to be assessed based on his track record and performance and the vision he has for the team.
You know, if it turns out that based on the performance and based on the changes on all the issues he’s been able to deliver and there’s a future, he may continue, but those who have demanded doing that the coach is the problem or is part of the problem, then they need to do the needful.
The Black Stars risk missing out on next year’s AFCON in Morocco following their loss to Sudan in Libya.
With two crucial games remaining in November against Niger and Angola, Ghana’s qualification hopes hang in the balance.