Otto Addo begs for more time as Black Stars face AFCON crisis

Ghana’s Black Stars head coach, Otto Addo, has called for patience as the national team struggles to recover from a prolonged period of poor performances.

In a recent reflection on the team's form, Addo admitted that the Black Stars have been on a steady decline for several years, emphasizing that Ghana’s qualification for the 2022 FIFA World

Read full articleCup was fortunate rather than the result of strong form. He urged for more time to rebuild the squad, pointing to systemic issues within the team.

Ghana’s AFCON 2025 campaign now hangs in the balance after a 2-0 loss to Sudan left them winless in their qualifying group. The Black Stars are on the brink of missing the tournament for the first time since 2004, and their fate depends on winning their upcoming matches against Angola and Niger. Additionally, they must hope Sudan falters in their remaining games. With no room for error, the pressure is mounting on Addo and his squad.

Addressing the challenges, Addo reflected on the team’s struggles since missing out on the 2018 World Cup, suggesting that the problems are deeply rooted and have affected the team for years.

“Since not qualifying for the 2018 World Cup, we’ve been struggling as a country for a long time; we were lucky to qualify for the 2022 Qatar World Cup,” Addo noted in a recent interview.

His comments suggest that he believes a longer-term approach is necessary to reverse the Black Stars’ decline.

Despite the urgency of the situation, Addo’s plea for more time may face resistance from fans and officials, who are eager for immediate results.

With the team’s AFCON 2025 hopes hanging by a thread, the coming fixtures will likely determine both the future of Ghana’s tournament prospects and Addo’s tenure as head coach.