Former Communications Director of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), Ibrahim Sannie Daara, has attributed the Black Stars’ failure to qualify for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) to certain decisions made by head coach Otto Addo.
The senior national team ended their qualification campaign at the bottom of Group F, managing just three points without a single victory in six games. This marks Ghana’s first absence from the AFCON tournament in 20 years.
Despite widespread calls for Otto Addo’s dismissal, Sannie Daara believes the coach should be retained but highlighted key missteps that contributed to the team’s poor performance.
One major issue, according to Daara, was Addo’s handling of André Ayew.
“The decision not to include André Ayew, at a time when he had not excluded himself from the team and was back playing, was poorly handled. I think he should have left the window open for André to make his own decision. That would have earned him respect from many,” he told Joy FM’s News File.
Daara also criticized the manner in which the national team phases out former players, saying, “Ex-players often complain about the way we retire players in Ghana. Otto could have managed the situation much better.”
André Ayew last played for the Black Stars during international friendlies against Nigeria and Uganda in March but has not been featured since.
The Ghana Football Association’s Executive Council is set to meet on Wednesday, November 27, to determine Otto Addo’s future with the team.
