Stephen Appiah tasks Otto Addo to stamp authority 

Former Ghanaian international Stephen Appiah has encouraged Otto Addo to assert his authority over the Black Stars team following his reinstatement as head coach.

Addo assumed the role permanently following the dismissal of Chris Hughton after a disappointing performance at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Cote d’Ivoire.

The former Borussia Dortmund coach has already managed two games since his return, experiencing a loss against Nigeria and a draw with Uganda during the March international break.

Addo’s upcoming challenges include a doubleheader against Mali and the Central African Republic in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.

Recently, he announced his 26-man squad for these matches on Wednesday, May 29, with some notable exclusions such as Andre Ayew and Abdul Baba Rahman.

Appiah emphasized the importance of Addo’s decisiveness in his selections, even if it may cause concern for certain players.

“Players would behave as if they don’t care but they care. In our days, players would be proving stubborn but when squad announcement time came, players were constantly on the phone trying to check if they were in,” he told 3Sports.

“He [Otto Addo] should let the players know that he is the boss.

“This is the situation where you have to put your foot down.

“I was with him in 2006 and he knows how important the World Cup is to Ghanaians.”

Ghana will take on Mali in Bamako on June 6, followed by a match against the Central African Republic on June 10 at the Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi.