Otto Addo, head coach of the Black Stars, has been urged by former Great Olympics and Ebusua Dwarfs coach JE Sarpong to prioritize selecting players based on form and fitness rather than star power.
Following Ghana’s September friendlies against Brazil and Nicaragua, he made these remarks.
Prior to defeating 139th-ranked Nicaragua 1-0, the Black Stars were defeated 3-0 by the five-time world champions at the Le Harve stadium in France.
The seasoned coach asserts that in order to have a strong Black Stars team capable of entering the World Cup tournament with their best foot forward, the technical team of the Black Stars must use Ghana’s international friendlies to reassess the players and how well they integrate into the team.
World Cup tournament with their best foot forward.
“The truth is that Ghana has names who are playing well outside but currently don’t have a team which is near competitive. These friendly games will ultimately turn out positively for a team in the World Cup,” he told Graphic Sports.
“Selection must be done on merit and those who have the heart to perform. On a bigger stage like the World Cup, it is only players who have big hearts who must be encouraged to play,” he said.
The Black Stars will take on Switzerland in November in their final preparatory games before heading to Qatar for the Mundial which kick off from November 20 to December 18.