Chris Hughton has been chosen by the Ghana Football Association (GFA) to lead the Black Stars as their next head coach.
New Black Stars Head Coach, Chris Hughton
According to a GFA statement released on Sunday, the decision to hire the 64-year-old Irish-Ghanaian tactician was reached after lengthy discussions between the two parties and also aligns with the FA’s goal of creating a strong national team with virtually the same technical staff that helped the Black Stars reach the World Cup in Qatar.
Along with Hughton, who served as the team’s Technical Advisor, the FA also officially recognized George Boateng and Mas-Ud Didi Dramani as assistant coaches.
But Hughton’s contract’s specifics weren’t made public.
His engagement was likely the worst-kept secret because Otto Addo, who was chosen by the FA after Serbian Milovan Rajevac was fired following Ghana’s disastrous showing at the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroun, beat out the former Tottenham Hotspur, Nottingham Forest, and Brightton and Hove Albion coach for the position.
His selection as the Technical Advisor for Ghana’s World Cup team was viewed as a calculated move to facilitate a seamless transition following Otto Addo’s six-month tenure.
Numerous international coaches have applied for or showed interest in the position when it became vacant, including Kwasi Appiah, the former Black Stars coach.
Hughton’s immediate goal will be to get the Black Stars ready for their forthcoming doubleheader against Angola in Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers on March 20 and March 28.