Ernest Thompson, a seasoned football administrator and former member of the Black Stars management committee, has called for the Ghana Football Association (GFA) to relieve Otto Addo of his duties as the head coach of the Black Stars. This call came in the wake of Ghana’s failure to qualify for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
Thompson expressed dissatisfaction with the team’s performance under Addo’s leadership and suggested that the technical team has not lived up to expectations. He believes that it is time for a change in leadership to ensure that Ghana’s national football team returns to winning ways and regains its competitive edge in international tournaments. His comments reflect a growing frustration among some stakeholders with the state of the Black Stars and the recent disappointing results.
The call for Addo’s dismissal follows a series of underwhelming performances, and while some fans and experts believe in his potential, others feel that a new direction is needed for the team to move forward successfully.
Ernest Thompson, speaking on Joy Sports Link on Joy FM on Saturday, November 23, did not hold back in his criticism of both the technical team and the players of the Black Stars. He described the current state of the national team as unacceptable, particularly considering their failure to qualify for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
Thompson pointed out that the issues facing the Black Stars are two-fold: A bad technical team: He expressed strong doubts about the ability of Otto Addo and his team to lead Ghana’s national team to success in the long term. He argued that Ghanaians are not patient enough to wait for a coach who is still learning, especially when the team’s recent performances have been subpar.
Underperforming players: Thompson’s critique extended beyond the coaching staff, indicating that the players also fell short in the qualifiers.
Otto Addo, who returned to coach the Black Stars in May 2024, was unable to secure a win in any of Ghana’s AFCON 2025 qualifying matches. The team finished winless in a group that included Sudan, Niger, and Angola, which was seen as a major disappointment for the national team and the country. Thompson’s comments reflect the frustration of many fans and stakeholders who expected better results and a stronger push for qualification.
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Ernest Thompson did not hold back in his critique of Otto Addo and the Black Stars, urging that it is time for a change in leadership. He acknowledged that Otto Addo had done his best but expressed the view that sometimes individuals are promoted to roles beyond their level of competence. He stated, “Otto Addo has done his best. At times, you promote people to their level of competence, and beyond that, they cannot do much.” Thompson made it clear that, given the team’s failure to qualify for AFCON 2025, he believes it’s time for Addo and his technical team to step down.
Thompson also raised concerns about the internal dynamics of the Black Stars, criticizing the lack of unity within the team. He argued that the current group is not functioning as a cohesive unit, but rather as a collection of individuals with significant internal conflicts. “That team you’re calling the Black Stars is not a team; it is a group of individuals who are very conflictual. There’s so much conflict in that team,” he emphasized.
He further elaborated on these issues by suggesting that spiritualism and internal divisions are negatively affecting the team’s performance. According to Thompson, the players are not truly united, and the team’s outward appearances on the field do not reflect the internal strife. “There’s spiritualism in that team; there’s conflict in that team. They only come and stand on the pitch as if they are together. It’s not a football team we have there; it’s a group of highly conflicted individuals,” he remarked.
These statements reflect deep frustration with both the technical leadership and the team’s internal dynamics, painting a picture of a divided group struggling to perform cohesively. Thompson’s comments are indicative of the growing dissatisfaction with the Black Stars’ current direction and the urgent need for change. Ernest Thompson further highlighted the internal divisions within the Black Stars by pointing to recent incidents where several players reportedly refused to Honor call-ups for national duty. He suggested that these refusals were linked to disagreements over team dynamics, specifically issues surrounding the captaincy.
Thompson pointed to a particular situation where eight players allegedly indicated they were unavailable for selection after Jordan Ayew was reinstated as the team’s captain. He questioned, “Why would eight players tell you they are not available simply because the captaincy has been given back to Jordan Ayew? There’s a problem there. Don’t come and tell me that they are not available because they are injured. No! It’s because they are divided.” Thompson’s comments suggest that the conflict over captaincy is symptomatic of deeper issues within the team, with divisions that go beyond mere player availability or injuries.
The future of Otto Addo as head coach of the Black Stars is now in the hands of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), which is set to decide on his tenure during its Executive Council meeting scheduled for Wednesday, November 27. The outcome of this meeting could lead to significant changes in the management of the team, as the GFA faces increasing pressure to address the Black Stars’ poor performance and internal issues.
