Former Ghana international Dan Quaye has come to the defense of head coach Otto Addo, asserting that the Black Stars' 2-0 defeat to Sudan in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers should not be attributed to him.
The West African powerhouse faced a shocking loss to the Falcons of Jediane at the Benina Martyrs Stadium in Libya on Tuesday, leaving Ghana on the brink of failing to qualify for the continent's premier tournament set to be held in Morocco next year.
This defeat marks a critical moment for the Black Stars, who last missed out on AFCON qualification in 2004. They now face an uphill battle to secure a spot for next year’s tournament, needing a miracle to turn their fortunes around.
In an interview with Bryt FM, Quaye emphasized that the blame should rest on the players rather than the coaching staff. "No one should blame the coach. We should rather blame the players because they are not serious. The players are selected based on their performance at club, so why don’t they exhibit the same performance for the Black Stars when invited?” he questioned.
Quaye went on to highlight issues of discipline among the current squad, stating, "Truth be told, this crop of players are indisciplined, and it’s high time we address it. Players who are not ready to play for the national team can decline call-ups. I think that is better than accepting a call-up and playing anyhow, breaking the hearts of millions of Ghanaians."
He further criticized the defensive errors that contributed to the team's downfall, remarking, "Our defenders were poor. We committed silly mistakes in the game, and that cost us defeat. I’m highly disappointed because we can’t afford to miss out on AFCON in this group. The Sudanese played as if they were Ghana."
To keep their AFCON hopes alive, Ghana must secure victories against already-qualified Angola and Niger while relying on Sudan to falter against these same opponents.
