Former Ghana captain André Ayew says Otto Addo should have been dismissed after the Black Stars failed to qualify for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, arguing that keeping him in charge created further problems for the national team.
Ghana finished bottom of their qualifying group with three defeats and three draws, missing out on the AFCON finals for the first time in two decades.
Despite that setback, the Ghana Football Association retained Addo, who later guided the Black Stars to qualification for the 2026 World Cup before leaving the role less than three months before the tournament in North America.
Speaking on the Obi One Podcast hosted by former Chelsea midfielder John Mikel Obi, Ayew said the decision to keep Addo after the AFCON disappointment was the wrong one.
“I think that should have happened long before. I think when you’re Ghana and not qualified for AFCON, you can’t call it better. That’s my conjecture,” he said.
Ayew acknowledged that Addo recovered by steering Ghana to the World Cup but questioned whether that justified his continued tenure after the failed AFCON campaign.
“I know him. I played under him when he was an assistant coach. But after that he was able to qualify us for the World Cup,” he said.
The former Black Stars captain argued that Ghana’s form deteriorated after securing World Cup qualification before the team eventually regained some momentum.
“The bad thing is, then we had about five or six really bad matches just after and then we fell,” he added.
Ayew insisted that the Black Stars represent the entire nation and that everyone involved should be focused on achieving success.
“The Black Stars are for the whole country, and we want to win. But there’s a process to win.”
While recognising Addo’s work during his second spell in charge, Ayew maintained that the timing of his departure was the main issue.
The 36-year-old has not played for Ghana since the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast.
