Ghana deny naming Chris Hughton new Black Stars coach

 

Chris Hughton has been appointed as the new head coach of the Black Stars, says Ghana Football Association, GFA.

Henry Asante Twum, GFA’s Communications Director says the association is still searching for a competent coach to lead the Black Stars.

Serb Milovan Rajevac was sacked after Ghana’s abysmal performance at the just ended 2021 Africa Cup of Nations [AFCON] in Cameroon and Hughton, the former Newcastle United boss has been strongly linked to the vacant job.

On Friday, reports went rife that the country’s football governing body head after a meeting with the Sports Ministry have agreed to appoint the Irish trainer as the new gaffer for the Black Stars.

“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 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”, he told Accra based Joy FM.

“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 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 every day.

“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,” he explained.

“I cannot say he [Chris 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.

The Black Stars will be hoping to amend when they play Nigeria in the 2022 World Cup playoff in March.