Per reports, Otto Addo is the leading candidate to replace Chris Hughton as head coach of the Black Stars. The reports claim that Otto Addo distinguished himself during the interview process and scored the highest mark among all the coaches who were shortlisted for the role.

If appointed, Otto Addo will be returning for a second stint with the Black Stars, having exited the role after the 2022 World Cup where he led the team to just one win in three group stage matches. 

GhanaWeb highlights four reasons why the GFA search committee might be considering rehiring Otto Addo

Experience and knowledge of current team
 
A possible reason for the decision by the search committee to re-engage Otto Addo could be the fact that, unlike the other candidates, he knows the current team.

Otto Addo was the coach who led a significant chunk of the current Black Stars team to the 2022 World Cup held in Qatar.

Having had his first experience with the team already, Otto Addo is well-placed to right the wrongs of his first stint and improve the weaknesses of the team.

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Dedication and attention to detail

One quality of Otto Addo that impressed the GFA officials hugely was his attention to detail and dedication to learning and improvement.

After Ghana’s hard-fought victory over Nigeria in the final game of the 2022 World Cup qualifiers, a high-ranking official of the Ghana Football Association detailed how Otto Addo plotted the fall of the Super Eagles.

According to him, weeks before the game, Otto Addo had already outlined the tactical plan for Ghana and how the Stars could cripple the wingers and forward line of Nigeria.

He told GhanaWeb that Otto Addo assigned specific duties to other members of the coaching department and showed clarity, profound knowledge and understanding of the Nigerian team.

Coaching Principle

Otto Addo in his brief stint as Ghana coach showed that while he is an attacking-minded coach by training and principle, he can tweak his style to counter opponents’ strengths.

His attacking principles suit the current Black Stars team. The current Ghana team derives its strength from the array of attacking talents and that syncs perfectly with Otto Addo’s coaching style.

Also, his openness to tactical variations means that he can tweak the team to suit whatever plan he has to get the best out of them.

The Aliou Cisse story

Senegal coach, Aliou Cisse has become the benchmark and reference point for project-building and process-oriented national team management and the GFA might be open to that.

By appointing Otto Addo, this time for the long-term, the GFA will be showing indications of their commitment to working with a former footballer capable of building a team that will give Ghana success in the medium and long term.

 EK/DO