Prez Akufo-Addo to GFA, Sports Minister: Leave coaches to do their work
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has implored the managers of the Black Stars not to interfere with the work of the coaches of the national team ahead of the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
According to the President, the coach Otto Addo-led technical team will bear the ultimate responsibility for the performance of the team in Qatar hence there should be no interference in their selection of players for matches.
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"I remember when you came here after our qualification, I was saying that I hope that in the end you will keep the technical team intact and you did exactly that and I think it's the best possible basis to go," President Akufo-Addo said.
"But having chosen the technical team, I will also implore you, leave them to do their work. I think the people who run football clubs know what is required of a good coach. He takes the responsibility, if he doesn't you know what to do with him".
"What is always a problem is minister saying, this person should play, and saying president says I should tell you x player has to play. No, we don't want any of that".
"We have confidence in the team you have chosen. I think we have got a very good team ... Otto Addo, Chris Hughton, George Boateng, Didi Dramani and Richard Kingston. We have a very good set of people to guide our players, we should leave it to them and their professional judgement to decide the best possible combinations for us and we will do our best to support them in everything that we can."
The President made this known last Thursday during a meeting with the Ghana Football Association President, Kurt Simeon-Okraku and his Executive Council at the Jubilee House in Accra.
The meeting was jointly arranged by Minister for Youth and Sports, Mustapha Ussif and the GFA to present the new Black stars strips to President Akufo Addo as part of the build-up to the 2022 World Cup.
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President Akufo-Addo also assured the GFA of the government’s support ahead of the 2022 FIFA World Cup tournament in Qatar next month.
He said the government would do its "best to make sure that the players are put in the best possible position to go ahead to carry the flag of Ghana".
Ghana will play Switzerland in an international friendly on November 17, before travelling to Qatar for the World Cup with its first game scheduled for Thursday, November 24, 2022, against Portugal.
