Former Black Stars coach Otto Addo has offered valuable advice to the Ghanaian national football team as they prepare for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), emphasising the importance of taking a step-by-step approach rather than solely focusing on winning the trophy.

Ghana is set to face challenging opponents, including Egypt, Cape Verde, and Mozambique, in Group B during the AFCON tournament to be held in Ivory Coast from January 13 to February 11, 2023.

Speaking ahead of the competition, Otto Addo, who last coached the Black Stars during their 2022 World Cup campaign, stressed the significance of a gradual mindset.

"Step-by-step thinking is far better. If you are aiming too far away, it is difficult to fulfill them because you have to work daily. You have to train hard, you have to win each game, and the rest will come," he told GTV.

When questioned about Ghana's chances of breaking the 41-year wait for an AFCON trophy, the former Black Stars boss highlighted the importance of doing the groundwork first.

"It doesn’t make sense to think always about the cup or whatever; you have to do your homework first. There is some work you have to put in to survive the group stage and go to the next stage, and at the end to win it, it is so much work," he added.

Addo emphasised the need for the entire Black Stars entourage to have the right mentality during the tournament. "A lot of mentalities - right thinking in every moment. Even if you have to win it, you have to know that you have to work harder to maintain this level, so my advice is they should think from game to game," he stated.

Ghana's last AFCON triumph was in Libya in 1982, and the journey to end the prolonged wait for the title will require meticulous planning and execution.