Disappointing reign ends Hughton’s Ghana adventure
Chris Hughton's tenure as head coach of the Black Stars concluded with a whimper last Tuesday, as the Ghana Football Association (GFA) confirmed his dismissal along with the entire technical team.
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This decision caps a 310-day tenure riddled with unfulfilled expectations and ultimately culminates in the lowest win rate among the last four Black Stars coaches.
When Hughton's appointment was announced in March 2023, it was met with cautious optimism.
His vast experience and previous successes in England, especially the English Premier League and previous association with the Black Stars as Technical Advisor to his predecessor, sparked hope for a revitalised national team.
The initial signs were promising, with five wins and two draws in his first eight games, securing AFCON qualification.
However, this honeymoon phase proved fleeting.
Downturn and dismal numbers
Under Hughton's guidance, Ghana's performance steadily declined, culminating in a winless streak of five games.
His insistence on training away from the Ghanaian public and restricting the televised coverage of the Black Stars' pre-AFCON friendly against Namibia in order to prevent opponents from spying on the team, raised eyebrows.
Friendly matches became challenging, and the AFCON campaign mirrored the downturn, ending in familiar heartbreak with a group stage elimination for the second consecutive year. Hughton's record of four wins, four draws, and four losses (33.33%) stands as the weakest among recent predecessors, Otto Addo (five wins, three draws, four losses – 41.67 per cent), Milovan Rajevac (three wins, two draws, three losses –37.5 per cent), Charles Akonnor (four wins, two draws, two losses – 50 per cent), and Kwasi Appiah (nine wins, six draws, five losses – 45 per cent).
The outcome of the pre-AFCON friendly, a scoreless draw at the Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi was, perhaps, a sign of things to come at the continental tournament in Cote d'Ivoire, with the Black Stars losing 1-2 against Cape Verde in their opening group encounter at the 2023 AFCON.
In that game, Hughton bizarrely handed Hamburg's Ransford-Yeboah Königsdörffer a debut in what appeared to be the biggest game of his young career, in a new position, and the youngster failed to impress on the big stage.
Maybe the 65-year-old coach discovered more about his players during the tournament because 22-year-old Königsdörffer of the German second-tier side, Hamburg SV, did not make a match-day squad for the rest of the competition.
Unpopular choices
Another player overlooked by Hughton during the competition was Kumasi Asante Kotoko's Richmond Lamptey. Despite his ball-carrying abilities and his impressive form in the Ghana Premier League, Hughton favoured more combative midfielders on his bench, leaving the Black Stars lacking creativity and attacking thrust moves late in games, especially during the injury-induced absence of offensive midfielder Majeed Ashimeru, where Baba Iddrisu, a typical defensive-midfielder, failed at three attempts off the bench during the tournament.
Hughton's lack of faith in locally-based talent was also evident, with Medeama's Jonathan Sowah — one of three players named as strikers in his squad - staying put on the bench even when the team were in need of goals.
The Irish coach of Ghanaian descent also surprised football analysts across the continent with his decision to start match-rusty Richard Ofori in posts in all three games during the tournament. Visibly shaky in goal in all three group matches, Ofori came into the tournament having been largely inactive at his South African topflight side Orlando Pirates.
The goalie, who captained the team in the absence of Andre Ayew, last played competitive football for Pirates in October 2023 in their 1-1 draw with Amazulu.
Ironically, Lawrence Ati-Zigi, one of Ghana's star performers at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, who has started 18 games in the Swiss Super League with St. Gallen, watched from the bench as Ofori enjoyed a starting role at the AFCON.
He contributed to the team's elimination from the AFCON and Hughton's exit in the manner he handled a wayward shot in the dying embers of the game against Mozambique, at a time Ghana led 2-1, allowing the Mambas to score the late equaliser that sent Ghana crashing out.
While Hughton inherited a team in transition and faced stiff competition, the low win rate remained undeniable.
Some argue that a longer leash might have allowed him to implement his philosophy, while others believe the underwhelming results and uninspiring football demanded swifter action.
Replacement
The GFA now faces the crucial task of finding a new coach — the sixth trainer in the last seven years — capable of reviving the national team's fortunes.
With the 2026 World Cup qualifiers looming (Ghana play away to Mali on June 3 and host Central African Republic on June 10), as well as qualifiers for the 2025 AFCON starting later this year, the Black Stars will need a leader capable of inspiring a return to success on the international stage.
Hughton's departure marks a turning point, and only time will tell if the Black Stars can write a new, triumphant chapter under their next coach.
