Chris Hughton’s appointment as the new head coach of the Black Stars has been met by a fair share of opposing views.
While many are convinced the former Brighton & Hove Albion manager is the right man for the job, others are not so sure he has what it takes to conquer the African terrain.
Whatever side of the divide you find yourself, there is no denying that the writing has been on the wall since he was named Technical Advisor of Ghana’s national team a year ago.
The general consensus then was that he always going to get his shot at the head coach position, it was only a matter of time.
Hughton’s first task is to name his maiden squad for 2023 Africa Cup of Nations [AFCON] qualifiers double header against Angola in March.
In a country where citizens and journalists are pseudo-coaches, the spotlight on call-ups and selections in particular is luminescent.
The issue of ‘external forces’ influencing national team coaches remains a major talking point.
Ghana has failed to win a major trophy since 1982 despite coming close on three occasions in the last two decades.
The Black Stars continue to lose public support because hashtags mean nothing [ #BringBackTheLove] if your team is not delivering on the pitch.
The team has consistently failed to live up to the hype generated by a hopeful media and a passionate nation.
These are the murky waters an experienced manager like himself has to tread.
Football is a result-driven sport and fans (who also happen to be tax-payers in this case) have the right to demand more.
Ghana currently has a pool of players talented enough to win the African Cup of Nations without a shadow of doubt. Surely, that is not too much to ask.
We are also more than capable of making some big noise at the World Cup as we have already proven in the past.
But nothing is a given in sports especially in football. Success is often a knock-on effect of a culmination of several good choices.
The Sports Ministry, the FA, the technical team, players and fans all have a role to play.
But each stakeholder works within a specific boundary- a concept so foreign in this country.
Let’s hope the Hughton era marks the turn of a new beginning.
Welcome Chris Hughton, take a seat on your throne and wear your thorned-weaved crown with a pride of a Black Star. Good luck!
