Chairman of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Sports, Wisdom Kobena Woyome, has backed the Ghana Football Association’s decision to retain Otto Addo as Black Stars coach.
Following the senior national team’s failure to qualify for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), there were calls for the dismissal of the 49-year-old coach, who was reappointed in March 2024 on a three-year contract with an option for a two-year extension.
However, the decision to keep Addo has not been well received by many Ghanaian football fans.
In an interview, Woyome defended the decision and expressed confidence in Otto Addo’s ability to lead the Black Stars to qualification for the 2026 World Cup.
“I don’t agree with those calling for Otto Addo’s dismissal. I admit that he failed to qualify the Black Stars for AFCON, but I don’t believe he would want to set another bad record by failing to qualify for the 2026 World Cup,” he told Asempa FM’s Ultimate Sports Show.
“If we sacked him and brought in a new coach who also fails, I don’t think that would be a good decision. I believe retaining him is the right call, and I hope he will turn things around by ensuring we qualify for the World Cup,” he added.
He also assured that an NDC government would do everything possible to ensure the Black Stars participate in the tournament, which will be hosted in the USA, Canada, and Mexico.
Meanwhile, the Ghana Football Association (GFA) has strengthened the Black Stars’ technical team. German coach Winfried Schaffer has been appointed as a technical advisor and football director for both the Black Stars and the GFA.
Additionally, Ghana’s U-20 head coach, Desmond Offei, has been promoted to serve as an assistant coach for the senior national team, replacing German tactician Joseph Laumann. Offei will work alongside existing assistants John Paintsil and Fatawu Dauda under Addo’s leadership.
The Black Stars’ backroom staff has also been reinforced with the appointments of Kris Perquy as a psychologist and Gregory De Grauwe as a video analyst.