Ghana Football Association (GFA) president Kurt Okraku has strongly denied claims that he was forced to appoint Chris Hughton as the Black Stars’ head coach.
Okraku denied the allegations, claiming that no one had imposed their decision on him.
Hughton, a former Premier League manager, was appointed earlier this year and has already overseen his first matches, leading Ghana to a 1-0 victory over Angola in Kumasi and a 1-1 draw in the rematch in Luanda.
There has been speculation that Hughton was not the football association’s first choice for the job and that his appointment was influenced by certain individuals within the government. However, in a recent interview, Okraku categorically denied these allegations.
“Chris Hughton is a coach contracted by the Football Association of Ghana, which I lead. If we didn’t have trust and belief in him, he would never have been the coach of Ghana. So long as he is the coach, he has the support of the Executive Committee. He has the support of the Ministry of Youth and Sports. We have been very, very supportive of his work and will continue to provide him with all the support necessary for success,” Okraku told SuperSport.
When asked about the alleged imposition of Hughton, Okraku replied, “Are you kidding me? Kurt Okraku? Nobody imposes on me, absolutely nobody. The Executive Committee had a plan, and we executed it. We had trust in him, a clear plan, and we executed it. We had a succession plan in place, and Chris was the successor. That’s why we brought him closer to the team, allowing him to familiarise himself with the players.”
Hughton himself has downplayed immediate success for the team, acknowledging that it will take time. His focus is on performing well in the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations tournament in Ivory Coast.
