A sports journalist, Daniel Koranteng, has launched a scathing critique of the Ghana Football Association’s handling of the Black Stars coaching situation, describing it as one of the most misguided decisions in recent memory and warning that it undermines years of preparation.

According to him, the timing of the decision has left Ghana dangerously exposed ahead of the World Cup, stripping the team of the continuity and stability that other nations enjoy with long-serving coaches.

Speaking on a podcast that discussed the recent Ghana friendly matches and the sudden sacking of the Black Stars coach, he said, “I was pissed. Now this is why I'm pissed. It is, and I'm not going to mince words; this is probably the most foolish footballing decision I've ever seen because what they've done is essentially wipe out all the preparation that we did.

"So, it is as if the Black Stars have not prepared for this at all. You are going to face teams who have been with their coaches for years. Tuko has been with the English team for about 18 months now. Croatia have been together for years. The Panama coach has been there since 2020, and he has shown steady improvement."

Pointing to Panama’s steady rise, he noted how their coach was retained despite setbacks and eventually guided them to qualification.

“If you look at the progression of the Panama team, they are getting better and better. And you are now going into a competition with a coach… I don’t know. And they also don’t know. We don’t know who is going to coach the team," he said.

Koranteng further emphasised the magnitude of the problem, stressing that the next coach’s very first task will be to name Ghana’s World Cup squad without any prior engagement with the players.

“The next Black Stars head coach, his first assignment will be to name a squad not for a friendly game, but for the World Cup. The deadline is May 30th. Our next friendly game is June 2nd against Wales, and those are the players going to the World Cup. You can’t make any changes unless there’s an injury,” he added.

He questioned how a new coach could possibly prepare under such constraints, saying: “On what basis is the new head coach going to select his team? He hasn’t met the players before. How is he going to plan against Panama, Croatia, England? What conversations is he going to have with the players? When is he going to test out methods before the World Cup?

“We have made rubbish of the entire qualification, the entire friendlies. All of it is useless. We might as well not even have gone for those games because at the end of the day, you’ve delayed a decision that was inevitable.”

The journalist also cautioned against complacency, reminding fans that the World Cup looms regardless of Otto Addo’s departure.

“Otto is gone doesn’t mean the World Cup is not coming. Otto is gone doesn’t mean England, Croatia, and Panama have stopped analysing us. It doesn’t mean FIFA will give us a break. No. We still have to play them.”

His anger was directed not only at the timing of the decision but also at those tasked with appointing the next coach.

“The reason why I’m extra angry is that the people going to appoint the next coach have, over the last seven years, shown us that they don’t have a clue when it comes to picking a manager who fits this team,” he added.

VKB/AE