Former Ghana international Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu believes that Black Stars coach Otto Addo needs continued support to truly succeed with the team, especially amid growing pressure following recent performances in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers.
Addo, who initially found success by leading Ghana to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, now faces criticism after a disappointing run in the AFCON qualifiers. Ghana’s recent 2-0 defeat to Sudan extended their winless streak to four games, putting their AFCON qualification in jeopardy for the first time in two decades.
Despite calls for Addo’s dismissal, Agyemang-Badu remains confident in the coach’s ability to improve the team if he receives proper support. Speaking with Flashscore.com, the former Asante Kotoko and Hellas Verona midfielder highlighted the challenges facing Addo and the need for patience.
“Our players perform exceptionally well with their clubs, but when they come here, things become difficult,” Agyemang-Badu said. “Building a national team is different from building a club team. From time to time, he [Otto Addo] will need our support because we’re all in this together. We can’t expect the technical crew to handle everything on their own.”
Agyemang-Badu emphasized that giving Addo time to adjust could yield long-term results. “If we give him more time to settle in and understand the environment fully, I believe he can make a real difference for us. He’s admitted it hasn’t been easy, and the challenges have been significant,” he added.
He also pointed out the instability in Ghana’s coaching staff over recent years, saying, “When you’ve changed five coaches in six years, it’s unlikely that coaching is the only issue. We need to uncover the root cause of what’s going wrong and understand why things aren’t working as expected.”
Addressing calls for a coaching change, Agyemang-Badu questioned its effectiveness. “If you sack him and bring in another coach, and after two or three games things aren’t going well, what will we do – sack him again? Ghanaians need to stand behind him; we need to support the Black Stars and the GFA.”
In a show of unwavering support, he concluded, “He still has my full support, and we need to give him a chance to show what he can do for us.”
Ghana will face Angola in Luanda on November 15, followed by a home game against Niger Republic on November 18, in a final push to secure their spot in the 2025 AFCON. The Black Stars currently sit third in Group F with only two points from four games, trailing behind Angola and Sudan.
