Talks with Otto Addo as next Black Stars coach positive – GFA

Speaking on Joy News’ ‘The Probe’ programme on Sunday, the former Sports Journalist said, the FA is hell-bent on getting a competent coach for the Black Stars after Milovan Rajevac was dismissed.

He said, looking at the tall list in front of the GFA, the former Black Stars midfielder, Otto Addo, is amongst the potential candidates likely to succeed the Serbian Manager.

He added that, Chris Houghton is also part of those who are likely to land the job but the recent talks with Otto Addo have been positive so far.

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

Denying various news reportage that the former Brighton & Hove Albion and Norwich City manager is the next coach of the Black Stars, Twum said:

“I don’t know about any such decision [regarding Chris 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 for 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 every day.”

“You wake up to stories in the press that the 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,” he explained.

Recently, some members of the FA travelled to Germany to meet with Otto Addo over the Black Stars job.

Otto Addo was named as the first assistant coach under Milovan Rajevac. He worked on a part-time basis while occupying his position as the assistant coach of Borussia Dortmund.

Otto Addo was part of the Black Stars’ team that made their first appearance at the FIFA World Cup in 2006.