AFCON 2023: Irate fan confronts Hughton after Cape Verde loss
Chris Hughton in conversation with assistant, Didi Dramani after defeat to Mexico.
A disappointed Black Stars supporter verbally abused head coach Chris Hughton on Sunday night after Ghana’s AFCON opening game defeat by Cape Verde.
The supporter, whose identity is not yet known to JoySports, expressed his displeasure to the coach at the team’s Hotel in Abidjan and security was asked him to take him out hotel.
He was, however, not arrested contrary to media reports.
Some officials who were at the scene told JoySports the said supporter is known by Ghana FA officials and in fact, has a cordial relationship with Hughton.
It is reason he had access into the inner part of the team hotel where the altercation happened.
Verbal abuse. In fact, the words of the gentleman per the account of people who were there were genuine.
He said be can't find Chris' fingerprints on the team and described him as a below par coach.
Was he arrested after?
BIG NO. https://t.co/2uIv42bcQP pic.twitter.com/yRwbIs6xiL
— Muftawu Nabila Abdulai (@Muftawu_Nabila) January 15, 2024
We understand he told Mr Hughton “his poor performances since taking over the Black Stars coaching job is making the GFA unpopular,” and asked him to improve.
An official who first brought this to the attention of JoySports on Sunday night described the words of said fan as derogatory as he reportedly told Hughton he is “a terrible coach whose fingerprints can’t be found on thr team,” plus other unprintable comments.
This coach is simply not good
— Name (@NIINOINARTEY2) January 15, 2024
Hughton was reportedly infuriated by the attack reportedly responded in an angry tone which led to the altercation.
He verbally abused Hughton and it drew the attention of officials and players as they demanded he be whisked away from the hotel.
Since taking the Black Stars coaching job early last year, Hughton’s team has produced inspiring performances, especially against Angola, Madagascar, Central African Republic, USA, Mexico, Comoros, Namibia, and recently Cape Verde.
He said at a press conference on Sunday that: “We are incredibly, hugely disappointed with the result. We came into the game with a game plan.
“We changed the way of playing, the system a bit so that we could start on the front foot. We thought the team that was put out was certainly more offensive. This was our intention.
“I think it rocked us the (first) goal that we conceded but I thought we got back into the game.”
Ghana were behind after 17 minutes in a match in which they were highly fancied and fielded a team full of players based at European clubs. They equalised in the second half but were beaten by a stoppage-time strike from Garry Rodrigues.
“At that stage (when Ghana equalised) it looked like we could go on and win it. We are hugely, hugely disappointed with our result,” Hughton said.
“And I know, and this group of players also know, how the Ghanaian people see this game, see this tournament and our expectations going into this one.”
Many have attributed the poor performances to a lack of experience, but Jordan Ayew appears to disagree.
“I think we had the game in our hands and lost concentration in two moments and conceded two sloppy goals.
“As a team, we need to get better. We can’t always say that we are a young team or we are rebuilding; we have been together for three years. Obviously, it’s a tough night, but we have two more games and we have to stick together, lift our heads and do it the hard way and we will see the outcome.”
Ghana will play series AFCON winners Wfypt on Thursday before wrapping their group stage campaign on January 22, against Mozambique who secured a 2-2 draw against Egypt on matchday one.
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