Former Black Stars coach Charles Kwabla Akonnor has voiced strong confidence in Ghana’s senior national team, saying there is now a clear succession plan in place.
His remarks come after current head coach Otto Addo gave several young and debutant players a chance to shine during the recently concluded 2025 Unity Cup in London.
Key veterans such as Thomas Partey, Mohammed Kudus, Antoine Semenyo, and Inaki Williams were notably absent from the squad.
In their stead, five newcomers — Joseph Tetteh Anang, Aaron Essel, Caleb Yirenkyi, Abdul Aziz Issah, and Mohammed Gaddafi Fuseini — earned their first senior team call-ups.
Speaking with Graphic Sports, Akonnor, who managed the Black Stars between 2020 and 2021, praised the raw talent and promise of the fresh faces.
“Potentially, the young players have good talent. In some time to come, this generation will fade and it will give the coach an opportunity for replacement,” he explained.
He believes Ghana’s current approach signals a deliberate effort to prepare the team’s future by developing a new generation ready to step up.
After opening the Unity Cup with a loss to Nigeria, Ghana recovered strongly with a 4-0 victory over Trinidad and Tobago, finishing third in the tournament.
The Black Stars will next reconvene in September for Matchdays 7 and 8 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, where they will face Chad and Mali.