Technical advisor of the Black Stars, Chris Hughton has made an honest assessment of the team’s chances ahead of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
The four-time African Champions will be making return to the global showpiece after missing the 2018 edition in Russia.
The West African country made their first appearance at the tournament in Germany in 2006 before playing at the 2010 and 2014 tournaments in South Africa and Brazil respectively.
The country’s best appearance came in 2010 when the Black Stars reached the quarter-finals where they were eliminated by Uruguay – a team they will face again in Qatar.
Portugal and South Korea are Ghana’s two other opponents in Group H.
As the conduit between the coaching staff and the federation, Hughton has a tricky task to manage expectations without damaging the mood.
‘It is difficult in a way. ‘I’m confident in the squad and the coaching staff, but part of my role should be to be realistic. Not to dampen expectations, but to speak honestly.
‘We are where we are, the lowest-seeded team in a group of four — and it’s a tough group. In my conversations with people, I encourage them not to get too carried away, but this is the World Cup. They [the federation] will be expecting us to do well. So will the country. It’s a cup competition and we have to be confident.’
