Chris Hughton on GFA Manipulation : Head coach of the Black Stars of Ghana Chris Hughton was officially unveiled in Kumasi is a colorful ceremony at the SG Mall on Monday as the former Brighton and Holve Albion manager answered numerous questions from the media.
One of the biggest questions posed to Hughton , who was technical advisor to Otto Addo , was about the alleged interference by Ghana Football Association (GFA) officials when it comes to the selection of players to the Ghana national men’s football team.
Addo left the Ghana coaching role after Black Stars’ group stage exit at the FIFA World Cup in Qatar in December last year.
In January 2023 , outspoken Ghanaian politician Sam George then alleged and suggested that the vacant job had been handed to the technical advisor Hughton because the association wanted someone they can manipulate.
Indeed Sam George was proven right as the GFA announced Hughton as the new Black Stars head coach on February 13th.
“That [coaching] job they have given it to Chris Hughton already so why are we wasting our time?” , the Member of Parliament for Ningo Prampram said on Joy Prime in January.
Sam George continued :
“They have given it to him because they want someone they can manipulate, someone they can use to do their business, someone they can tell him to bring his team selection [with changes being made with regards to agency callups] regardless of how long the person has played or not played.
“People are using GFA to make money, they are using it to feed their family.”, he added.
But what does the new Ghana head coach has to say about this alleged GFA interference and control?
“I am the new head coach so anything (alleged interference from the GFA) you speak of before my term here is very much something you are bringing up and it belongs to the past.” , Hughton replied when a question on the reported interference from the GFA was posed to him.
The former Republic of Ireland international player explained further :
“All I can speak about is my communication, correspondence and relationship that I had with the Association and the support that I received all this while and I will speak highly of that lines of communication, correspondence and the support that I have had from the Association.
For the Black Stars to do well and for the team to perform, its mostly about support from the Association and members of the Technical team.
The communication that I have with the Association has been very good and I have no doubt that all of us will work together for the right results.”
The Black Stars take on Angola on Thursday at the Babayara stadium for their Match-Day Three fixture of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualification tournament as the Chris Hughton era begins.
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