Ghana FA Official Gives Update On Black Stars Coaching Job

The Director of Communications of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), Henry Asante Twum, has dismissed reports that, Chris Hughton has been named as the new coach of the Black Stars of Ghana.

Speaking in an interview on The Probe on Sunday, Twum stated that following the dismissal of coach Milovan Rajevac, the GFA has been on a frantic search for a competent manager to redeem the image of the Black Stars.

According to Twum, Houghton is amongst the long list of potential candidates who may be given the job, including former Black Stars midfielder, Otto Addo. Adding that, talks with Addo have so far been positive.

“My last conversation with the [GFA] president was that the talks [with Addo] have been positive, but it comes with certain conditions as well. Yes, the FA appoints, but government takes care of the expenses and what have you, so you need to come back and engage government and see if you would be at par in terms of decision making. From then you can progress.

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“I don’t know about any such decision [regarding Houghton’s appointment]. As far as I’m concerned, we haven’t met the ministry. I know that we are stakeholders in development. The government is recognised in providing infrastructure and providing funds for the development of football, but as technocrats, we are responsible for the decision making. These are things we read in the media everyday.

“You wake up to stories in the press that government is trying to impose a coach on the FA. I don’t remember sitting in any such meeting since our last meeting with the Honourable Minister of Sports, which called for the dismissal of the technical team and also the dismissal of the management committee. That has been our last engagement as a body.”

Twum said currently, the Black Stars coaching job is available to all prospective coaches who have what it takes to transform the fortunes of the team.

“I cannot say he [Houghton] is not on the table because once a job becomes vacant, it’s open to all. Personally I’ve received 17 calls from agents and representatives of coaches. My WhatsApp platform has been bombarded with messages from unknown people and then also the official email address of the FA has as well received loads of messages and they come in on a daily basis. So once a job becomes vacant, there are a number of people who’d express interest in coming in. So I cannot say Chris is not on the table. He is a coach who’s available, and who may be would like to come in as the next coach of the Black Stars,” he stated.