Ghana Football Association (GFA) President Kurt Okraku has stood by the federation’s choice to retain Otto Addo as head coach of the Black Stars, despite the team’s failure to qualify for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
Speaking to 3Sports, Okraku stated that the GFA Executive Council remained united in their support for Addo during the period of intense public scrutiny. He dismissed the idea that a coaching change was necessary following the tournament setback.
“I never believed that I had to let the coach go at that time. And we never believed, as an ExCo, that we had to let the coach go at that time. And we stay with that position,” Okraku said.
The GFA chief noted that while he understood the public backlash, leadership decisions are often based on internal factors that are not visible to the general population. He suggested that “auxiliary reasons” often dictate the direction of the national team.
“We’ve all done football at various levels, and sometimes there are auxiliary reasons why certain decisions have to be taken or not to be taken. Some of these reasons are not available to a lot of people,” he explained.
Reflecting on the decision, Okraku argued that the subsequent qualification for the FIFA World Cup under Addo’s leadership validated the GFA’s commitment to stability over immediate dismissal.
“But I look back and I’m happy that we took that decision. At the end, we qualified for the Mundial with the same gaffer, and I don’t regret it at all,” he concluded.