Former Minister of Youth and Sports, Edwin Nii Lante Vanderpuye, has appealed to Ghanaians to throw their weight behind Black Stars head coach Otto Addo, insisting that the trainer deserves encouragement rather than dismissal as Ghana closes in on qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Addo, 49, has guided the national team to the verge of another World Cup appearance following their emphatic triumph over the Central African Republic in Wednesday’s Matchday 9 encounter. The result left Ghana needing just a single point in their final qualifier against the Comoros this Sunday to confirm their place at the global showpiece.
Despite admitting that the team’s performances have not been consistently convincing, Vanderpuye urged restraint among supporters and critics who have been calling for Addo’s removal.
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He believes the best way forward is to strengthen the coaching structure by surrounding Addo with more experienced football minds, rather than making a drastic change at this crucial stage.
“With the team he has, he is quite inexperienced and immature for them. I will not hide that. We need someone with vast experience to come in as a technical advisor to guide us as we go into the World Cup,” Mr. Vanderpuye told Citi News Room.
“But changing him is not something I will recommend at this time, it will be too expensive and also risky,” he added.
Should the Black Stars seal qualification on Sunday, Otto Addo would etch his name in history as the first coach, local or foreign, to lead Ghana to two World Cup tournaments, having previously steered the team to Qatar 2022.
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The decisive clash against the Comoros takes place at the Accra Sports Stadium on Sunday, October 12, with kick-off scheduled for 19:00 GMT.
