Former Black Stars captain Stephen Appiah has called on Otto Addo to firmly stamp his authority as head coach of the national team.
Appiah, now 43, was rehired on a 34-month contract with an option for an additional 24 months earlier this year, following the dismissal of Chris Hughton due to a disappointing performance at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Côte d’Ivoire.
Since Addo’s return, he has led the team in two matches: a loss to Nigeria and a draw against Uganda during the March international break.
Addo now faces a crucial doubleheader against Mali and the Central African Republic in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
On Wednesday, May 29, he announced his 26-man squad for these matches, notably excluding prominent players such as Andre Ayew and Abdul Baba Rahman.
Appiah stressed the need for Addo to be assertive, even if it unsettles some players.
“Players would behave as if they don’t care but they care. In our days, players would be proving stubborn but when squad announcement time came, players were constantly on the phone trying to check if they were in,” he told 3Sports.
“He [Otto Addo] should let the players know that he is the boss. This is the situation where you have to put your foot down. I was with him in 2006 and he knows how important the World Cup is to Ghanaians,” he added.
The Black Stars are set to play Mali on June 6 at the Stade du 26 Mars in Bamako, followed by a home match against the Central African Republic on June 10 at the Baba Yara Stadium for Matchday three and four fixtures, respectively.
Source: Adomonline