Former Ghana international Yussif Chibsah has dismissed growing calls for the dismissal of Black Stars head coach Otto Addo ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Addo, who faced intense criticism following Ghana’s disappointing exit from the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), led the national team to secure qualification for next year’s global showpiece.
The Black Stars topped their qualification group with 25 points, sealing their campaign with a narrow 1-0 victory over Comoros.
Despite winning seven of their eight matches, sections of the public and some pundits have questioned Addo’s tactical ability, with Sports and Recreation Minister Kofi Adams branding him a “lucky coach.”
However, Chibsah, who serves as Head of Player Relations at the Professional Footballers Association of Ghana (PFAG), has come to Addo’s defence. Speaking on Asempa FM, the former midfielder insisted the coach deserves to remain in charge.
“Otto Addo has delivered his primary objective by securing World Cup qualification, so why sack him?” Chibsah asked.
“Coaches are judged on performance and results. If Addo has achieved that, there’s no reason to remove him. Throughout the qualifiers, the team scored 22 goals, with Jordan Ayew contributing to 14 of them. That’s a strong performance for the squad.
“I believe he should be retained for continuity and lead the team to the World Cup. He has experience, will learn from past mistakes, and deserves our support because football is a collective effort,” he added.
Otto Addo’s latest achievement makes him the first coach to guide Ghana to consecutive World Cup tournaments. The Black Stars will learn their group-stage opponents when the World Cup draw takes place on December 5.
