Henry Asante Twum, the spokesperson for the Ghana Football Association (GFA), has provided rationale for Chris Hughton’s decision not to assure victory for the Black Stars in the upcoming 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
Chris Hughton oversaw Ghana’s qualification for the AFCON, set to commence in Ivory Coast in ten days.
Ghana, aiming to end their trophy drought since their last AFCON win in 1992 in Libya, has high hopes for success in the tournament.
In response to Hughton’s inability to guarantee leading the team to break the country’s 41-year trophy drought, Mr. Asante Twum explained that numerous factors influence outcomes in major tournaments.
He emphasized that not even esteemed coaches like Pep Guardiola or Carlo Ancelotti can assure results.
“Chris Hughton understands Ghana’s history, knowing we’ve won the AFCON four times. He is aware of the high expectations from fans to win every game convincingly. However, the unpredictability of factors in football, similar to leading coaches worldwide, makes it impossible to guarantee results,” he conveyed to Woezor TV.
Mr. Asante Twum cited examples of unexpected turnarounds in games, highlighting that unforeseen events, such as a deflected goal or a late equalizer, can impact outcomes.
He referred to the Community Shield match between Manchester City and Arsenal as an illustration.
The Black Stars initiated their training camp in Kumasi on January 2, with Jordan Ayew and Inaki Williams anticipated to join today.
Placed in Group B, Ghana will contend with Cape Verde, Egypt, and Mozambique in the tournament.
Their first match is against Cape Verde at the Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium in Abidjan on January 14, 2024, followed by encounters with Egypt at the same venue four days later and Mozambique at the Alassane Ouattara Stadium on January 22, 2024.