Chris Hughton
Chris Hughton

Former Ghana midfielder, Yusif Alhassan Chibsah, has urged Black Stars head coach Chris Hughton to focus on building a team that can be relied on for years.

Hughton signed a 21-month deal in March and recorded a win and a draw in his first two games against Angola in back to back games in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifiers.

The Black Stars will return to action next month for their matchday five fixture against Madagascar, followed by a home game against the Central African Republic (CAR) in the final round of qualifiers in September.

The former Asante Kotoko midfielder is confident the team will record a win in the final two games but has urged the technical team to focus on building a team for the future.

Yusif Chibsah
Yusif Chibsah

“While we expect victories from the two games, some of us look beyond just winning,” Chibsah expressed to Citi Sports.

“We want to see a formidable team that we can rely on for years, not just for immediate success. It is important to win games, as that is what Ghanaians expect from the coach.

“We want Chris Hughton to build a strong team that we can rely on for the next two to three years. The majority of the current squad consists of young players, about 70-80 per cent, including the likes of Mohammed Kudus, Kamaldeen Sulemana, Osman Bukari, and others. Let’s build the team around these players and establish a foundation that allows them to play together for the next three or four years.”

With an average age of 24 years and seven months, Ghana’s national team was ranked as the youngest squad in the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, surpassing the United States of America (25 years and two months) and Ecuador (25 years and six months).

Chris Hughton aims to guide the four-time Afcon champions to the next edition of the tournament, scheduled for January next year.

The team currently sits atop Group E with 8 points.

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