Black Stars team manager Ameenu Shardow has expressed his conviction that Ghana would have experienced significant progress if Otto Addo had continued as the coach, despite the team’s failure to advance from the group stage at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Under Addo’s guidance, Ghana secured qualification to the prestigious tournament, defeating fierce rivals Nigeria in the final qualifying round. However, their World Cup campaign saw them secure only a 3-2 victory against South Korea, while suffering defeats against Portugal and Uruguay, resulting in an early exit.
Following Ghana’s final group game, a 2-0 loss to Uruguay, Addo resigned from his position. Subsequently, the Ghana Football Association appointed Chris Hughton, who had previously served as Addo’s technical advisor, as the new coach of the Black Stars.
Shardow expressed his belief in Addo’s potential for growth in an interview with 3Sports on Sports Ultras, stating, “I have always said I believe that we would have been better off with Otto Addo continuing because he made mistakes at the World Cup. He’s never been at that level before. He is somebody who takes lessons out of failures. And I believe we would have been better placed to make the right decisions now, but that is gone.”
“We would have been better if Otto Addo stay as Black Stars coach”- @alooameenu
👀#SportsUltras #3Sports pic.twitter.com/e9QxJlwaZf
— #3Sports (@3SportsGh) July 16, 2023
Hughton is expected to qualify Ghana for the 2023 AFCON to be held in Ivory Coast as well as start the qualification campaign for Ghana in their quest to make their fifth appearance at the World Cup following the preliminary draw for the 2026 World Cup to be co-hosted by United States, Mexico and Canada.