Sports journalist from Ghana, Collins Atta Poku, has recounted how Black Stars head coach Otto Addo personally told Andre Dede Ayew that he was cut from the team.
Atta Poku claims that the manager left out the former Olympique Marseille player due to Ayew’s longevity in the team and his desire to advance the Black Stars.
Speaking on Africa614 Multimedia, he stated that because the players believe Otto Addo still has much to offer, Ayew did not accept Otto Addo’s choice.
“He sat down with him and told him that he had transcended two generations at the Black Stars. Dede has outlived Appiah; Dede has outlived Essien and John Mensah…If you look closely at things, he is the only surviving member of the 2010 World Cup squad. So the Black Stars would have to evolve away from you. Dede did not agree because he still wanted to play.”
On Wed, May 29, 2024, Otto Addo held a news conference to reveal his World Cup qualifying team.
Otto Addo said he had conversations with Dede Ayew but kept quiet about what he told the Black Stars captain when questioned about why the player was left out.
“I had a long talk with André and gave him the reasons why he is not in the squad. I talk to players directly and don’t like to disclose information about our discussions. This is the decision we took, and it’s not like he necessarily agreed, but I still have great respect for him,” he told the media.
Solar Ayew, Andre Ayew’s uncle, responded to the manager’s decision, saying the family accepted it in good faith despite being shocked.
“We’ve taken Andre Ayew’s omission from the Black Stars squad normally. He was earning invites when he was unattached, so his omission will surprise not only me but everyone because he is at the top of his game now.
This is normal for the Ayew family,” Solar Ayew remarked on Asempa FM.
Ghana is set to visit Mali on Thursday, June 6, 2024, before hosting the Central African Republic on Monday, June 10, 2024.