Hughton gets political support for Ghana coaching quest

Ghana parliament majority leader Osei Kyei-Mensah Bonsu has thrown his weight behind former Newcastle United and Brighton and Hove Albion boss Chris Hughton for the vacant Black Stars’ coaching job.

The West Africans are seemingly divided over the ideal candidate, with Hughton and Borussia Dortmund assistant coach Otto Addo going head-to-head.

While the Ghana Football Association prefers the latter, the Government of Ghana is pushing for the former to land the job.

“Chris Hughton is a coach who knows how to build with average materials and that’s Ghana’s situation now,” Bonsu told Angel FM.

“Our materials are not good, so we need Chris to weld. Otto Addo is just a second coach for Dortmund.”

Ghana’s coaching position has become vacant after the dismissal of Milovan Rajevac following the Black Stars’ poor performance at the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations finals.

At the continental gathering, Ghana were dumped out of the championship in the group stage after failing to win a single game.

Addo was handed a role as assistant Ghana coach during Rajevac’s reign, combining the position with his position as Dortmund assistant coach.

At Afcon, however, the former winger was unable to join the Black Stars due to club commitments.

GFA Executive Council member Tony Aubynn believes the ex-Ghana winger is the right man for the job.

“Otto Addo is the best choice now because he was the assistant to Milo [Rajevac], and he has trained with the boys and they respect him so much,” said the official.

“He’s the right man for the job now, considering the fact that he’s also a former player and he has been with the team for the past months.

“But Borussia Dortmund are not even ready to release him for us. They don't want him to go and that is one of our biggest challenges right now.”

A GFA delegation is reportedly currently in Germany for talks with Addo over the coaching position.

Hughton, meanwhile, is also presently in Ghana with hopes of landing the job.

A new trainer is expected to be announced, at least in an interim role, before Ghana take on Nigeria in the 2022 World Cup qualifiers in March.