Former Ghana international John Mensah has urged Ghanaians to place their trust in Black Stars coach Otto Addo, expressing confidence in his ability to turn the team’s fortunes around.
Addo, who previously served as a talent development coach at Borussia Dortmund, took over the Black Stars in March after Chris Hughton’s tenure ended following a disappointing 2023 Africa Cup of Nations campaign in Ivory Coast.
Under Addo’s guidance, the Black Stars have faced a challenging start, including a defeat to Nigeria and a draw against Uganda during the March international break. However, the team showed significant improvement last month during the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, securing back-to-back victories against Mali and the Central African Republic to reignite their World Cup hopes.
John Mensah, who played alongside Addo during their football careers, spoke to the media about the current state of the Black Stars. He emphasized the importance of patience and support for the coach. “Otto Addo is doing well. It is not easy as Ghanaians see it. He is managing to unite the team. I think the team did well in their last two World Cup qualification games. Let’s trust the coach and support him and I think he will do well,” Mensah said.
He also acknowledged the difficulties faced in the past but highlighted the recent positive changes. “Previously, it was difficult for us but you can see they are performing now. They are picking up and I will plead with the fans to exercise patience for the team and I think they will do much better,” he added.
At present, Ghana is positioned second in Group I of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers with 9 points from four matches. The qualifying campaign will continue in March 2025.
Former Ghana captain John Mensah has called on Ghanaians to remain patient with the Black Stars during their ongoing transition period.
The Black Stars, who have won the Africa Cup of Nations four times, recently rekindled their World Cup qualification hopes with two consecutive victories in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. They secured a crucial away win against Mali in Bamako before defeating the Central African Republic at the Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi. These victories broke a seven-game winless streak that had plagued the team this year and reignited their quest for a fifth World Cup appearance.
In a recent media interview, the former Sunderland and Lyon defender urged fans to support coach Otto Addo as he works to rejuvenate the team. “Otto Addo is doing well. It is not easy as Ghanaians see it. He is managing to unite the team. I think the team did well in their last two World Cup qualification games. Let’s trust the coach and support him and I think he will do well,” Mensah stated.
He acknowledged the challenges faced in the past but highlighted the progress made in recent performances. “Previously, it was difficult for us but you can see they are performing now. They are picking up and I will plead with Ghanaians to exercise patience for the team and I think they will do much better,” Mensah added.
As it stands, Ghana is positioned second in Group I of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, with 9 points from four matches. The qualifying campaign will resume in March 2025.
Coventry City F.C., an English Championship team, has appointed George Boateng as a first-team coach. Boateng, a former assistant coach for the Black Stars, will collaborate with Rhys Carr at the club.
Boateng and Carr will start their roles immediately as the City squad gathers for pre-season training at Ryton.
City supporters will recognize Boateng, who played 57 games and scored 7 goals for the club between 1998 and 1999 after transferring from Feyenoord. The former midfielder is remembered for his two goals in a league victory against Aston Villa at Villa Park, a feat not achieved by the Sky Blues in 63 years.
In addition to his time at Coventry, Boateng played for Aston Villa, Middlesbrough, Hull City, and Nottingham Forest. Although Ghanaian-born, he represented the Netherlands internationally four times.
Boateng's coaching experience includes positions at Blackburn Rovers and Aston Villa, where he coached the Under-18 and then the Under-23 teams.
He served as the assistant coach of the Black Stars during the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Cameroon. Despite the team's poor performance and the subsequent dismissal of the technical team, Boateng was retained. He worked alongside Otto Addo to help Ghana qualify for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar but stepped down after the Black Stars' early exit from the tournament.
Asante Kotoko's preparations towards the upcoming Democracy Cup is on and engaged themselves in a preparatory friendly this morning where they humbled lower-division side Cornerstones FC by 5-0 at the Adako-Jachie training ground.
The fourth edition of the McDan Ga-Adangbe Peace and Unity Cup football tournament has been launched in Accra, with organizers announcing an expansion in the number of teams and appearance fees for participating teams.
Ghana's Minister of Youth and Sports, Mustapha Ussif has called for support in the upcoming Democracy Cup match between Hearts of Oak and Kumasi Asante Kotoko at the Accra Sports Stadium on Friday, July 5.
