Mortagbe said the team that participated in the World Cup in Qatar had shown great promise and expected improvement under Hughton's management.

In an interview with Graphic Sports, Mortagbe expressed disappointment with the team's performance under Hughton, noting that instead of progressing, the team seemed to struggle from match to match.

“Chris Hughton inherited a squad that had shown a lot of promise in Qatar during the World Cup. I had expected the team to, under him, improve even more. Rather, we saw the team floundering from match to match,” he said.

He suggested that Hughton did not contribute positively to the squad and supported the decision to relieve him of his coaching duties.

Hughton was dismissed after the Black Stars' early exit from the Africa Cup of Nations, where they failed to win any matches in the group stage. 

Mortagbe characterised the team's performance as shambolic and emphasised the importance of appointing a coach capable of turning the team's fortunes around.

Mortagbe outlined the qualities he believed the next coach should possess, emphasising a need for someone who could quickly understand the team dynamics and bring out the best in the talented players.

He stressed the importance of instilling a strong mentality and hunger for success among the players, indicating that these factors were crucial for the team's success.

“We want a coach who can quickly put his finger on the pulse of the team and ascertain what it would take to get the best out of the talents that we have in the team.

“A coach who would get the players to build a very strong mentality pregnant with the hunger for success. These are the key ingredients that would get our talented players to deliver at the level that their talents deserve,” he said.