Sports and Recreation Minister Kofi Adams has defended the government’s decision to part ways with Otto Addo before the 2026 FIFA World Cup, insisting the move gave the Black Stars a better chance of competing at the tournament.
Otto Addo was dismissed after a disappointing run of results in Ghana’s pre-World Cup friendly matches, despite leading the Black Stars to qualification for the tournament in North America.
With just two months before the World Cup, the Ghana Football Association appointed experienced Portuguese coach Carlos Queiroz on a short-term contract to lead the team.
Speaking in an interview, Kofi Adams rejected suggestions that Otto Addo should have remained in charge.
“If you look at the losses that we were suffering in all our friendlies after qualification, if you just couldn’t trust only in God, then it means we were going to the World Cup trusting only in God. No, I don’t think so at all,” he said.
The Minister argued that Ghana’s performances under Carlos Queiroz justified the coaching change, despite the veteran manager having limited time to prepare the squad.
“If you watch the strategy of the new coach, Carlos, and you look at our performances against Wales, Panama, England and even Croatia, you could clearly see that with much more time, a lot more could have been achieved.”
Adams pointed to the team’s improved defensive structure as one of the biggest positives under Queiroz.
“It was simply defensive,” he explained.
Responding to criticism that Ghana adopted an overly defensive approach at the World Cup, the Minister defended the team’s tactics.
“Well, it was also part of the game, and we were stringing passes,” he added.
Under Queiroz, Ghana defeated Panama 1-0, drew 0-0 with England and lost 2-1 to Croatia to finish third in Group L and qualify for the Round of 32.
The Black Stars’ campaign eventually ended with a narrow 1-0 defeat to Colombia in the knockout stage.
Attention has now shifted to the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, where Ghana will face Côte d’Ivoire, The Gambia and Somalia in Group C, with the campaign set to begin in September.