2026 WCQ: Otto Addo has not managed communication well
Augustine Ahinful
Augustine Arhinful says Otto Addo has mishandled his communication with Andre Ayew and Baba Rahman who were omitted from the 26-man squad for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.
Andre Ayew and Baba Rahman were notable absentees from the squad announced last week for the games against Mali and the Central African Republic.
Addressing the omissions, Otto Addo explained that, the decision to exclude Le Havre midfielder Andre Ayew was difficult and mentioned that he had a long conversation with Ayew, explaining his reasons for the exclusion.
Left-back Baba Rahman, on the other hand, is currently on a self-imposed break from the national team after being booed during Ghana’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against the Central African Republic last year at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium.
According to Addo, Rahman is still affected by the negative reaction he received.
Reacting to Addo’s explanations, Arhinful, who is a former Ghana international, criticized the coach for publicly sharing details of his discussions with the players.
“The communication put out there is an issue. You need support for the decisions you are making. If you disclose that a player didn’t take the news well, you invite unnecessary debate” he said in an interview on Asaase Radio.
Arhinful added, “Your focus should be on bringing good fortune to the team. Publicly sharing such communications creates problems for yourself. If things don’t go well in the matches against Mali and the Central African Republic, you’ll be the one blamed.”
The Black Stars are set to face Mali on Thursday, June 6, at Stade du 26 Mars before hosting the Central African Republic on June 10 at the Baba Yara Stadium, as part of the matchday three and four games.