In a swift response to the Ghanaian national football team’s dismal performance at AFCON 2023, the Ghana Football Association (GFA) has terminated the contract of Black Stars head coach, Chris Hughton.
The decision follows the Black Stars’ failure to secure a victory in any of their three group-stage matches in Ivory Coast, leading to their premature exit from the tournament.
The GFA’s official statement, released four hours after Ghana’s elimination, also revealed the dissolution of the entire technical team. The association promises to outline a future plan for the Black Stars in the coming days.
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Hughton, who took the reins in February 2023, replacing Otto Addo, faced scrutiny for the team’s lackluster performance. His tenure included overseeing Ghana’s qualifiers for AFCON 2023 and initiating preparations for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.
During his 13 matches as head coach, Hughton secured four wins, five draws, and four losses. However, the team’s underwhelming performance in competitive matches, coupled with questionable selections and game management, ultimately led to their group-stage exit in AFCON 2023.
Hughton acknowledged responsibility for the disappointing results, stating, “I take responsibility for this performance and admit my results with the Black Stars have not been good enough.”
Looking ahead, the Black Stars aim to regroup, with talks of international friendlies against Argentina and China in March. Their focus will then shift to the World Cup qualifiers, resuming in June with matches against Mali and the Central African Republic.
