The allegations that Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko, a prominent member of Ghana's ruling New Patriotic Party, used his influence to secure the appointment of Chris Hughton as the Black Stars coach, have been dismissed by Otchere-Darko himself.
Despite being accused by some sections of the media of imposing Hughton on the Ghana Football Association (GFA), Otchere-Darko denied the allegations during an interview with Asempa FM. He stated that the GFA made the decision to appoint Hughton independently.
Otchere-Darko acknowledged that he has been friends with Hughton for a long time, despite supporting rival clubs in England. He also praised the GFA for selecting Hughton, saying that he deserved the job and had the necessary knowledge of the Black Stars team.
According to Otchere-Darko, "Chris Hughton was brought by the GFA not me. Chris and I have been good friends for a long time. He is a Tottenham fan and I am an Arsenal fan. President is a Tottenham fan and I’m an Arsenal but we are good friends. These things happen because God works in mysterious ways of putting strange people together. Chris is the choice of the GFA and I think that it is a good decision. When there is a vacancy anywhere, people lobby and at the time, most people thought he deserved the job. GFA also needed someone who knew the team."
Hughton has already made a positive impression in his new role, winning his debut game against Angola in a 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier last month, and securing an important point against the same opponent on March 27 in Luanda, Angola.
