Hordes of approval on social media have greeted the appointment of Chris Hughton as chief coach of Ghana’s senior national team, Black Stars.
The Ghana Football Association (GFA) on Sunday announced the engagement of Hughton, following extensive deliberations between the two parties.
According to the FA, the appointment was in line with its vision to continue with the project of building a formidable squad that started with Otto Addo in the lead-up to the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 tournament.
Moments after the announcement, many Ghanaians – both home and in the Diaspora, enthusiastically took to social media to applaud the decision of the FA to hand over the baton to the 64-year-old, who they consider wield loads of experience to handle the team.
Though others think Hughton, son of an Irish mum and Ghanaian dad, could be used by the leadership of the FA for their own ‘selfish’ interests, majority rejected that view – insisting the former Birmingham City, Norwich City and Brighton and Hove Albion ‘sweat merchant’ “can be his own man.”
Hughton has been the Technical Advisor of the Black Stars for the past 12 months, and was with the team when it crashed out in the group stage of the Qatar World Cup tournament.
He will be assisted by former Aston Villa, Middlesbrough and Holland midfielder, George Boateng, as well as Mas-Ud Didi Dramani – both of whom the FA has decided to maintain.
The three coaches were part of the technical team for the World Cup in Qatar.
According to the GFA, details about the duration of the contract and terms of engagement would be communicated in due course.
Before associating himself with the national team, the 64-year-old Hughton’s last job was at Nottingham Forest in the English Championship from October 2020 to September 2021.
Hughton’s immediate task is to lead the Stars to face Angola in a March double-header in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifications in Cape Coast and Luanda respectively.
Ghana share top spot of Group E, lead with Angola on four points from two games, three above the Central African Republic and Madagascar.
BY JOHN VIGAH
