Ernest Thompson calls for Otto Addo and his team to be replaced

Ernest Thompson, a former member of the Black Stars management committee, has urged the Ghana Football Association (GFA) to dismiss Otto Addo as head coach of the Black Stars following Ghana's failure to qualify for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).

In a candid opinion on JoySports Link on Joy FM on Saturday, November 23, Thompson did not hold back in his criticism of both the technical team and the players, labeling the current state of the Black Stars as unacceptable.

“For me, the problem is two-fold. We have a bad technical team. They are not up to the task if they are to lead us in the next five years because Ghanaians don't have the patience to wait for a coach who is young and still learning,” 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. He's done his best, and I think at this stage, he and his technical team should go,” Thompson said emphatically.

Thompson, who previously served as Board Secretary of Hearts of Oak, voiced his concerns about the lack of unity within the Black Stars, describing the team as a group of individuals rather than a united, cohesive unit.

“That team you’re calling the Black Stars isn’t a team; it’s a collection of individuals filled with conflict,” Thompson stated. “There’s so much discord within that squad. Kurt [Okraku] and the others should take responsibility for keeping things under wraps.”

“There’s spiritualism and internal conflict in that team. They only appear united on the pitch, but it’s far from a football team—it’s a group of individuals with deep divisions,” he continued.

Thompson also highlighted recent instances of players refusing to honor call-ups, attributing this to disagreements over team dynamics, including issues surrounding the captaincy.

“Ask yourself, especially if you have experience in football administration: why would eight players claim they’re unavailable just because the captaincy was returned to Jordan [Ayew]? There’s clearly an issue there. Don’t tell me they’re unavailable because of injuries. No! It’s because the team is divided,” he asserted.

Otto Addo, who is set to return as head coach in May 2024, failed to lead Ghana to a single victory in their AFCON 2025 qualifying matches, ending the campaign winless in a group that included Sudan, Niger, and Angola.

The Ghana FA will decide Otto Addo's future at its Executive Council meeting on Wednesday, November 27.