Former Ghana Football Association Chairman, Dr Nyaho Nyaho-Tamakloe, has called for urgent, decisive action to rescue Ghana’s faltering World Cup campaign, urging the government to move swiftly for a proven, top-class coach capable of reviving the Black Stars ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
His intervention follows the sacking of head coach, Otto Addo, in the aftermath of Ghana’s 2-1 defeat to the German national football team in Stuttgart—a result that compounded growing concerns over the team’s trajectory.
Speaking to the Daily Graphic, Dr Nyaho-Tamakloe delivered a blunt assessment, backing the decision to part ways with Addo and insisting the signs had long been evident.
“After he failed to qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations, I said to myself that he cannot handle the Black Stars,” he said.
In his view, the axe should have fallen much earlier.
“The decision is right and long overdue. He should have realised he wouldn’t be able to handle the team and resigned after failing in key matches, rather than waiting to be sacked,” he asserted.
Quick replacement
With Ghana’s World Cup opener looming, the veteran football administrator believes there is no room for hesitation. The priority, he stressed, must be competence, experience and immediate impact.
“If the government has the money, they should pay well and go for a top-class coach,” he advised, underlining the reality that elite expertise comes at a premium. “Some coaches have the ability to turn teams around quickly.”
However, he issued a clear warning against a potential return for former Black Stars coach, Kwasi Appiah, whose name has surfaced in early speculation. According to Dr Nyaho-Tamakloe, past treatment of Appiah should rule out any comeback, suggesting the coach himself ought to decline such an offer.
Despite the ticking clock, he remains convinced that the right appointment can still steady the ship—even if it means a short-term solution.
He floated the option of a stop-gap coach to lead Ghana at the tournament, followed by a long-term appointment after the World Cup, arguing that decisive leadership, not sentiment, must drive the process.
“With the right appointment, Ghana can rebuild a strong and competitive Black Stars side,” he concluded.
Augustt backs Appiah
Meanwhile, experienced coach, Ken Augustt, believes Ghana’s immediate World Cup ambitions demand a pragmatic, short-term solution anchored in experience.
He argued that a coach with World Cup pedigree is non-negotiable—and identified Kwasi Appiah as the most logical candidate.
“He has been with the team before, been to the World Cup, and knows a good number of the Black Stars players. It’s the most sensible decision if he is available,” Augustt said.
While acknowledging that prising away a qualified candidate at short notice could come at a high financial cost, he insisted that funding must not become an excuse for mediocrity.
Yet the coach also raised concerns about the broader decision-making within the FA, questioning the timing of Otto Addo’s dismissal and criticising recent structural choices.
He pointed to the appointment of an expanded 18-member technical team as evidence of what he described as a flawed approach to team management.
Even more striking was his criticism of the hiring of Winfried Schäfer as Technical Director, a move he labelled “shocking”, given the German’s previous failure to secure the Black Stars coaching role.
Source:
www.graphic.com.gh