Sports
All in Otto Addo’s Hands
From June 2004 to the latter parts of 2005, when Ghana secured qualification to her first senior FIFA World Cup, it generated an unending party mood among soccer enthusiasts.
Visualising dicey clashes with some of the world heavyweights, delight, high expectation, anxiety, and glee had the better part of fans. The fans cared less about which set of players constituted the team for the Germany 2006 showpiece. All that mattered was how the Black Stars coped at the highest stage of association football.
Maybe, realising that the constitution of the team was the preserve of the Head Coach, his Technical Team, and the Ghana Football Association (GFA), fans only cared about the entertainment aspect of it. All over the streets in the country, replica jerseys of the Black Stars became the most sought-after commodity, with fans paying a lot of Cedis to lay a hand on one.
Twenty years down the line, the desire to play at that level of football still appeals to football lovers; so when the Black Stars sealed its fifth qualification about a month ago, fans showed that excitement. The next edition is easily referred to as the ‘America, Canada, Mexico dream’ World Cup. The desire to be part of it is even greater than the maiden edition—for reasons unknown.
But unlike previous editions, fans have shown a lot more concern about personnel selected to don the national jersey this time, especially after speculation about an intent to get some new players to strengthen the squad. The names of Nottingham Forest winger Hudson Odoi and Crystal Palace striker Eddie Nketiah have been on the lips of many for this reason. They are alleged to be the next set of players to be included in the team for the showpiece, in a bid to strengthen the squad.
This is not a new practice with the Ghana team. In fact, it is very common with national teams across the globe. As recently as last Friday, DR Congo announced a team for the impending World Cup play-off, including as many as three Belgian under-21 internationals in a 25-man squad.
The Belgian trio are attacking midfielder Mario Stroeykens, who at 21 has already captained Brussels giants Anderlecht; winger Michel-Ange Balikwisha from Celtic in Scotland; and Standard Liège goalkeeper Matthieu Epolo, who only last month sat on the bench for Belgium’s under-21.
Prior to the latest addition, players like Brian Cipenga from Spanish club Castellón had joined the Leopards squad only last month for the final World Cup group qualifiers as a late injury replacement. The FA of DR Congo is also in support of any intention by Coach Sébastien Desabre to cast his net over a wider array of talent.
Ghana’s case is not so different. It started with the current coach of the team, Otto Addo, who joined in the latter stages of qualifiers to the Germany World Cup. The next edition was the ‘African World Cup’ hosted by South Africa in 2010. That period witnessed the inclusion of Kevin-Prince Boateng and Quincy Owusu-Abeyie, two Ghanaian players of German and Netherlands ancestry.
Adam Kwarasey may have also played a role in the journey to the Brazil 2014 FIFA World Cup, but he was obviously a fresh face in the squad. Then came the Qatar edition in 2022, which saw the Black Stars’ door opened to players such as Tariq Lamptey, Inaki Williams, Mohammed Salifu, Dennis Odoi, Alexander Djiku, and Antoine Semenyo. Although they were new faces, most of them participated in qualifiers.
That explains the apprehension regarding the alleged attempts to add Nketiah and Hudson-Odoi to the squad. As Head Coach, Otto Addo is free to make decisions on a purely tactical basis. Others have objected on moral grounds, arguing that it is important to reward committed and dedicated players who travelled all around the continent for the qualifiers.
But to think that when these two appeared to be at the peak of their careers there was no interest to feature for the Black Stars, one is then forced to ask: why the sudden interest now, if indeed there is an interest?
By Andrew Nortey
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Officials from the Ghana mission in the United Arab Emirates have paid a morale-boosting visit to the camp of the Black Queens.
The delegation, made up of Consular Officer Percy Okudzeto, Consul and Head of Chancery Abdul-Jalil Sigli Yakubu Abdulai and Head of Transport Anas Shaibu, visited the team to assure them of the government’s support and commitment to their safety and welfare.
During the visit, the officials interacted with the team and offered words of encouragement, urging the team to remain focused on the tournament despite concerns surrounding unrest in parts of the UAE.
Consular Officer Percy Okudzeto emphasised that the Ghanaian government, through its diplomatic mission, is closely monitoring the situation and is committed to ensuring the team’s safety throughout their stay.
“We want the team to stay calm and focus on the competition. The government and the embassy are doing everything possible to ensure your safety and well-being.” he said.
Consul and Head of Chancery Abdul-Jalil Sigli Yakubu Abdulai also reiterated the mission’s readiness to provide any assistance required by the team during the tournament.
Leadership of the team expressed appreciation for the visit, describing it as timely and motivating.
With the backing of Ghana’s diplomatic officials in the UAE, the Black Queens remain determined to represent the country proudly and deliver strong performances in the Pink Ladies Cup.
The Black Queens have arrived in the United Arab Emirates to participate in the upcoming Pink Ladies Cup in Dubai. The team touched down at the Dubai International Airport via Emirates Air on Wednesday morning and were warmly received by the competition’s organising officials.
The squad will be based at the Four Points by Sheraton Hotel, where they will begin their final preparations for the tournament. Organised as part of the international women’s football calendar, the Pink Ladies Cup is expected to feature four national sides using the competition to assess their squads and fine-tune strategies for upcoming tournaments.
Ghana will open their campaign today with a clash against Hong Kong, while Russia and Tanzania face off in the other opening match.
The Black Queens are then scheduled to return to action on March 3, when they take on Russia in a match expected to test them against a physically strong opponent.
The final round of games will be played on March 6, with Ghana closing their campaign against Tanzania at 9:00 pm.
With three matches in eight days, the tournament promises to be a crucial phase in Ghana’s preparation, as the Black Queens aim to return to continental action sharper, stronger, and more competitive.
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