Ghana coach Addo set to extend contract with Borussia Dortmund

Ghana coach Otto Addo is reportedly set to sign a new three-year contract at Borussia Dortmund, casting doubt on whether he will continue with the Black Stars beyond the 2022 World Cup.

Addo took over the reins in March this year ahead of the World Cup playoffs following the sacking of Milovan Rajevac after the Black Stars’ early elimination from the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon.

He managed to steer Ghana to World Cup qualification past Nigeria following a goalless draw in Kumasi and a 1-1 stalemate in Abuja, to erase the pain of getting knocked out of Afcon at the group phase.

At the time, Addo was combining the role with his job as an assistant and scout of the Bundesliga giants, before committing to lead the Black Stars to the World Cup in Qatar.

According to GhanaWeb, the 47-year-old is expected to sign a three-year deal to extend his stay at the club with his contract ending this summer.

The former Dortmund midfielder joined the Black and Yellow as a talent scout in 2019, having served in a similar capacity at Bundesliga rivals Borussia Monchengladbach in 2017.

At Dortmund, Addo has been credited with shaping the careers of a number of young players, including Youssoufa Moukoko and the now-departed Erling Haaland.

Haaland acknowledged this when he recently hailed Addo for helping him develop into one of Europe’s most feared striker.

“That’s the biggest legend, if we talk about the biggest legends in this club, this guy, he’s the best one. He is the best, Otto,” said Haaland in a club documentary produced in his honour after completing his switch to Premier League champions Manchester City early this month.

In a previous interview, the 2001-22 Bundesliga winner with Dortmund explains what he found special from the Norwegian striker.

"What makes him so special is how he thinks," said Addo. "He has got a certain athleticism that he brings with him; he has the body of a sprinter, but I think the main thing is how he thinks. His mind.”

Addo also explained the three main pillars of his work at Dortmund, saying it involves individual video analysis, in which he provides detailed feedback of each training session, transformation on the pitch, which helps players make the jump from youth team to first team, and most importantly, guidance off the field.

Addo has managed four more matches for Ghana since eliminating Nigeria, including two 2023 Afcon qualifiers where he beat Madagascar 3-0 at home before a 1-1 draw away to Central African Republic.

He suffered his first loss as Black Stars coach when Ghana lost 4-1 to Japan in the Kirin Cup before beating Chile on post-match penalties to finish third at the invitational tournament.