Black Stars Head Coach, Otto Addo believes Ghana’s Black Stars are heading into the FIFA World Cup in Qatar with a ‘nothing to lose’ mentality.
Ghana is currently the lowest ranked team heading into the tournament, and will have to overcome Portugal, South Korea and Uruguay in the group stages, in order to reach the knockout rounds for the third time in the country’s history.
According to Otto Addo, he was simply honoured to be leading the Black Stars to a World Cup, but does not feel the pressure.
“For me, at the end of the day, it’s just a football match, and pressure is something different, he told the BBC.
“How I grew up, and even in my time in Ghana, when you don’t know what you’ll eat the next day – that is pressure. And even those who find themselves in that situation still danced and laughed.
“For me it’s just a big honour to be in this position, and I’ll try my best for us to be successful.
“We’re the bottom ranked team in the FIFA rankings heading into the World Cup.
“In that playoff game against Nigeria, we had nothing to lose. Nobody expected us to qualify, but we did.
“So we know very few people, except Ghanaians, expect something big from us, so there’s not much pressure. We can all win,” he added.
Meanwhile, Ghanaian midfielder, Sulley Muntari says he is open to returning to the Black Stars ahead of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
The 37-year-old, who spent the 2021/22 season with Ghana Premier League side, Accra Hearts of Oak, has not played for the Black Stars since the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
Muntari was sacked from camp during the tournament in Brazil for indiscipline and was given an indefinite ban.
The former AC Milan and Inter Milan midfielder has since apologised for his conduct but has not been invited to play for the national team since the incident.
Muntari, in an interview on GTV, said he was willing to support the Black Stars in any way possible, even if he doesn’t get the opportunity to play.
“Ghana, even if I’m on crutches today and they call me to come and help, I’ll definitely run and go. Even if I can’t play, I’ll sit and contribute.”
Muntari has 84 caps for the Black Stars and scored 20 goals. –Citisports
