Former Management Committee Member of the Ghana national football team, Ernest Thompson, has advised the Ghana Football Association and the Ministry of Sports to avoid appointing a local coach as the successor to Otto Addo, instead recommending an experienced foreign tactician for the job.
The GFA is currently searching for a new head coach following the dismissal of Otto Addo after the March international friendlies against Austria and Germany.
Several high-profile names, including Kwesi Appiah, Joachim Löw, and Pitso Mosimane, have been mentioned as possible replacements, with Ghana having less than three months to prepare for the World Cup in North America.
However, speaking in an interview with Joy FM, Thompson argued that Ghanaian coaches often struggle to maintain authority within the national team setup and are frequently unable to resist external interference.
“Looking at where we are now after parting ways with Otto Addo, we need to go for the best,” he said. “For the next six months, I would not recommend appointing a Ghanaian coach. From my experience, they have not been able to effectively control their camp. We need a coach in the mould of Mariano Barreto or Milovan Rajevac.”
Thompson also cast doubt on former Black Stars coach Kwesi Appiah, who has been linked with a return, suggesting he may not possess the firmness required to manage the team at the highest level.
“I don’t think Kwesi Appiah has the firmness needed to control this team,” he added. “At this stage, we are dealing with high stakes — the World Cup is not a playground like the Africa Cup of Nations.”
He further pointed to examples from other football nations, insisting that Ghana must be bold in its decision-making.
“Look at countries like England and Brazil; they’ve made bold decisions when necessary. We need a coach with strong authority, character, and a solid technical team behind him,” he stressed.
Meanwhile, the Ghana Football Association is expected to announce a new head coach within the week, with the Black Stars set to regroup in May for friendly matches against Mexico as part of their preparations for the upcoming World Cup.
