Coach Otto Addo has faced intense criticism for failing to progress against Niger, a team that had won only one of its previous eight games before playing the Black Stars in the second match of the 2025 AFCON Qualifiers.
Many Ghanaians are unhappy with Otto Addo’s performance in the AFCON Qualifiers, where he initially lost at home to Angola and then more recently drew with Niger. This has led to increased calls for his resignation. Some Ghanaians allege that he is not even a qualified coach and was merely a ‘talent coach’ at Borussia Dortmund when Ghana approached him. Others point out that he had not coached any team prior to his role with the Black Stars, which they claim is his first coaching job. Criticisms have also been raised about his late substitutions and the lack of a discernible philosophy, with many stating that they cannot identify any clear tactics or style of play when the Black Stars are on the field. These concerns, among others, have fueled further dissatisfaction.
In this article, Univers Sports’ Gabriel Tecco Mensah takes a closer look at Otto Addo’s coaching career, uncovering the facts to determine whether he is the right person to lead the Black Stars.
Who is Otto Addo?
Holding both German and Ghanaian citizenships, Otto Addo chose to represent the Ghana National Team as a player.
Otto Addo spent seven years with the Black Stars, with his most memorable moment being his role in leading the team during the 2000 Africa Cup of Nations, co-hosted by Ghana and Nigeria, where he gained international prominence.
He also featured for Ghana in the 2006 FIFA World Cup, playing in the 2-0 victory against the Czech Republic on June 17, 2006, at the RheinEnergieStadion in Cologne. Additionally, he played in Ghana’s 2-1 win over the United States at the Frankenstadion in Nuremberg in 2006.
Otto Addo’s Journey to Coaching
Otto Addo began his coaching career in 2009 with Hamburger SV, a club in Germany, where he worked as a youth team coach and assistant manager until 2015.
In December 2013, while still at Hamburger SV, Otto Addo was appointed as the head scout for the Ghana national football team. He took over from Ibrahim Tanko, who had held the position after the 2012 and 2013 Africa Cup of Nations, in preparation for the 2014 FIFA World Cup and the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations.
In April 2019, it was announced that Otto Addo would join Borussia Dortmund as a ‘talent coach,’ a role he had previously held at Borussia Mönchengladbach since 2017. By December 2020, he was promoted to first team assistant coach, working under Edin Terzić, who had stepped in as interim head coach after Lucien Favre was dismissed.
He secured his first coaching trophy when Dortmund triumphed over RB Leipzig in the 2020–21 DFB-Pokal final. After Terzić was appointed technical director and Marco Rose took over as head coach, Addo returned to his role as a talent coach.
The above supports the point that Otto Addo is indeed a talent coach rather than a main coach. Throughout his managerial career, he has only served as a full-time coach for Hamburger SV U19, which is not a top-tier team, until his appointment as Black Stars Coach.
His primary expertise lies in talent coaching and player scouting. He was appointed as the head scout for Ghana in 2014 and 2015 and also served as a talent coach for Borussia Mönchengladbach and Borussia Dortmund.
Additionally, Otto Addo has worked as an assistant coach for clubs such as Hamburger SV, FC Nordsjælland, and Borussia Dortmund. He only served as an assistant coach for Borussia Dortmund when Edin Terzić was the interim coach following Lucien Favre’s dismissal. Addo returned to his role as a talent coach when Dortmund appointed a new head coach, reinforcing that his primary role is as a talent coach.
Otto Addo’s first stint with the Black Stars
On September 25, 2021, the Ghana Football Association announced Otto Addo’s appointment as one of two assistant coaches under the new Ghana coach, Milovan Rajevac, while Otto was still offering his services as ‘talent coach’ for Borussia Dortmund. On February 9, 2022, they named Addo as the interim coach for the Ghana national team after the sacking of Milovan Rajevac in preparation for the 2022 FIFA World Cup final play-off matches against Nigeria. On March 29, 2022, Addo led Ghana to qualify for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar on away goals, after a 1-1 draw with Nigeria, following a 0-0 draw in the first leg on March 25.
In May 2022, Addo was appointed head coach through December 2022, with Chris Hughton continuing as technical advisor and George Boateng and Mas-Ud Didi Dramani as assistant coaches, replicating the setup used for the 2022 FIFA World Cup final play-off matches against Nigeria. Addo secured his first victory as manager on June 1, leading Ghana to a 3–0 win over Madagascar in a 2023 AFCON qualifier.
At the 2022 FIFA World Cup, the Black Stars lost their opening match 3–2 to Portugal but won their second group game 3–2 against South Korea. Otto Addo became the first Ghanaian to both play for and coach the Ghana national team at the World Cup. This victory also made him the first Ghanaian coach to win a World Cup match. However, Ghana was eliminated from the tournament after losing to Uruguay in their final group match. Before the World Cup began, Addo had suggested he would step down after the tournament, regardless of the outcome. After the final group game, Addo resigned as head coach of Ghana and decided to focus on his role as a talent coach at Borussia Dortmund. He indicated that his decision to leave the Ghanaian national team was influenced by factors beyond his control.
Why did the GFA lie to Ghanaians?
After Chris Hughton was relieved of his duties as Black Stars head coach on January 23, 2024, following a poor performance at the 2023 AFCON in La Côte d’Ivoire, the GFA announced a roadmap to hire the next Black Stars coach. The GFA also outlined key criteria for appointing the new head coach:
1.The potential head coach should be a proven winner in coaching top men’s national teams or club football.
2.Must have a football philosophy that aligns with or complements our DNA.
3.Must hold the highest football license in the world with over 15 years of experience in football.
4.Proven track record in team reconstruction, organization, and development of young talent.
5.Proven disciplinarian, tactician, and leadership skills.
According to these criteria, Otto Addo does not meet the first requirement: “The potential head coach should be a proven winner in coaching top men’s national teams or club football.” He hasn’t coached any top men’s national team or club team, aside from his initial stint with Ghana, where he managed a total of 12 games with 5 losses, 4 wins, and 3 draws, which is not indicative of a proven winning coach.
Additionally, many football experts struggle to understand Otto Addo’s system, which does not align with Ghana’s traditional playing style and team philosophy.
While Otto Addo holds the UEFA Pro license, the highest UEFA coaching license, he does not have over 15 years of experience coaching top teams, as his first assignment was with Ghana in 2022.
In terms of a proven track record in team reconstruction, organization, and development of young talent, he is not known for reconstruction and organization but has made a significant impact in developing young talents, including contributing to the development of stars like Jude Bellingham and Erling Haaland at Dortmund.
Regarding his first stint with Ghana, there were no reports of indiscipline in the Black Stars camp, but his tactical approach was often questioned, with experts finding it difficult to decipher his system of play.
So, why did the GFA appoint Otto Addo despite his failure to meet some of the criteria they themselves proposed? On March 15, 2024, Otto Addo was reappointed as head coach of the Ghana national football team, with Joseph Laumann, John Painstil, and Fatawu Dauda joining as assistant coaches to support the team’s technical setup, and the rest is history.
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Story by: Gabriel Tecco Mensah | univers.ug.edu.gh
