Honourable Mention: Samuel Attah Kumi of Bibiani Gold Stars who has scored 11 goals in 24 league games is one to be looked for a place in the Black Stars squad for the upcoming friendly games.
Mere months to the start of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Ghana has been handed another reason to not be scared of sacking Otto Addo and name a replacement who is an upgrade in the wake of Morocco’s split with Walid Regragui recently.
Several quarters aren’t exactly thrilled by the thought of having Otto Addo lead the Black Stars’ fifth trip to the World Cup but aren’t particularly sold on the idea of replacing him under four months to the start of the tournament so as to not rock the boat.
However, this idea didn’t dissuade Morocco from an amicable split with Regragui- the man who guided Morocco to the semifinals of the 2026 World Cup- in early March.
Even worse, Regragui’s exit came immediately on the back of guiding Morocco to the 2025 AFCON Final where they finished second behind Senegal in chaotic fashion.
The pressures associated with the disappointment of failing to win the country’s first AFCON title in over 40 years and on home soil no less, forced Regragui to resign from his role as Morocco head coach. Reports from other sects in the Moroccan football hierarchy also indicated that Regragui was set to be sacked after the AFCON failure because powerful figures in the football space felt the Atlas Lions had run its course with Regragui as the lead technical man and needed a fresh start.
That fresh start has come in Mohamed Ouahbi, who guided Morocco to win the 2025 FIFA Under 20 Men’s World Cup to match Ghana’s feat as the only African nations to win the world title.
Ouahbi, who developed his coaching chops in the Belgian football factory and served as Belgian Pro League side Anderlecht’s coach at the junior level and assistant coach at the senior level, will be assisted by Joao Sacramento, a prodigy tactician who has worked with Wales’ National Team, Christophe Galtier on his French League title winning stints with Lille and PSG and as a member of Jose Mourinho’s backroom staff at Tottenham Hotspurs and AS Roma.
Another example albeit in different circumstances is Curacao, the smallest nation to qualify to the World Cup, and will compete in the tournament later this year without the man who got them to qualify.
Dutch manager Dick Advocaat announced his resignation from his head coaching role to attend to family issues connected to his daughter’s poor health with his replacement already named. Looking at the Moroccan and Curacao examples, it isn’t too late to sack Otto Addo ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
Before the Black Stars take on Panama in its first World Cup game on June 17, Ghana is scheduled to play four friendly games with the immediate ones taking place on March 27 against Austria and on March 30 against Germany.
Having failed to qualify to compete at the 2025 AFCON, Ghana should prioritize these friendlies as the only avenue to test fringe players and tactics and regardless of the coaching situation, these are five players who must be called up to the Black Stars for the friendlies.
Maxwell Woledzi (Nashville SC)
Despite the 24 year old’s fine run of brilliant performances and his steady ascent from another solid Right To Dream Academy prospect to FK Fredrikstad’s Player of the Year Award winner, Woledzi’s chances of making it to the Black Stars in the short term looked difficult to call but a rash of injuries recently have changed everything.
At the time of writing this piece, multiple regulars in the Black Stars defensive line aren’t available to be selected for the Austria and Germany games to varied injuries. Mohammed Salisu, Abdul Mumin and Tariq Lamptey are injured and have been ruled out of competing even at the World Cup.
While there isn’t much to be worried about regarding the starting unit that is likely to have Alexander Djiku, Jerome Opoku and Jonas Adjetey, there is a major need to address the depleted second unit and the latest Ghanaian player to compete in the MLS is the best option for this role.
Since making his debut against FC Dallas, Woledzi has become an integral member of Nashville SC and delivered a brilliant performance against Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami in the CONCACAF Champions Cup.
With the versatility to play in central defence and right full back spot and armed with speed, power, aerial ability, passing range and skill (scroll down to watch full video), Woledzi is the modern day defender who will be a big boost to the Black Stars defensive depth.
Nashville center back Maxwell Woledzi just broke Rodrigo De Paul’s ankles 👀@NashvilleSC pic.twitter.com/Dlj2Wjuf4Y
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) March 11, 2026
Derrick Arthur Kohn (Union Berlin)
Ghana has a problem with its central defence mainly due to injury but its lateral areas are in serious need of an upgrade considering the average at best output of regulars Gideon Mensah and Alidu Seidu.
This problem is so serious, it won’t be absurd to envisage planting wingers Abdul Fatawu Issahaku and Joseph Paintsil as left and right wingbacks respectively to address this problem.
However, left full back Derrick Arthur Kohn’s emergence and decision to commit his international future to Ghana and not Germany means that it probably won’t be necessary to place Issahaku further away from goal.
Having Kohn in these friendlies is the best way to bed him into the team as a newbie who would need time to adjust to the new setting as a player who grew up in Germany. Having him included in these friendlies is the best way to get him right for the World Cup.
Razak Simpson (Nations FC)
Still harping on the theme of improving the Black Stars defensive depth, one of the Ghana Premier League’s finest defenders who has experience in the Black Stars deserves a return to the side. Razak Simpson’s form wobbled for a while earlier in the season and it affected Nations FC too but an uptick in form has directly correlated to an improved form guide for the Abrankese outfit.
One of the knocks on Ghana based defenders is the over aggressive style of tackling that simply doesn’t cut it at the top level since it leads to dismissals and set piece giveaways that compromises the team. Beyond this, most defenders are slow with their reactions and do a poor job to “read” the game and have poor judgment. However, Simpson isn’t one of such defenders and is a fine option for the 2026 World Cup Black Stars squad.
Majeed Ashimeru (RAAL La Louviere)
In an ideal world, Ashimeru would be one of the first names on the Black Stars starting list but injuries have prevented the former WAFA midfielder from achieving this. The plethora of injuries he has dealt with have also affected his club career where he lost his place in Anderlecht’s first team but a loan move to Louviere has seen him return to football life and is thriving.
That kind of turnaround in fortunes should be enough to get one of the best ball carriers back in the Black Stars setup to play off what is likely to be a “traditional defensive midfielder” in either Kwasi Sibo, Elisha Owusu or Ibrahim Sulemana.
Lawrence Agyekum (Cercle Brugge)
Staying in Belgium and the last time central midfielder Lawrence Agyekum played for Ghana was on March 31, 2025 where he played 60 minutes in Ghana’s 4-0 win over Trinidad and Tobago in the Unity Cup. Almost a full year after that game, Agyekum has made 27 appearances and registered three assists for Cercle Brugge and his form and production should get the former Red Bull Salzsburg back in the fold of the Black Stars with an eye to make the cut for the World Cup squad.
