A  FORMER Black Stars captain and head coach, Charles Kwablan Akonnor, has thrown his full support behind Otto Addo, urging Ghanaians to trust the national team manager and allow him the space to build a competitive side ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Akonnor insisted there was no need for external pressure on Otto Addo regarding player selection, stressing that the coach was best placed to determine which players were committed, reliable and capable of delivering on football’s biggest stage.

His comments came in the wake of the coach’s announcement of a 26-man squad last Monday for upcoming pre-World Cup friendlies against Austria in Vienna on March 27, and Germany in Stuttgart, four days later.

Ommissions

The squad, which includes four newcomers, has sparked intense debate following the omission of high-profile names such as England-born duo of Callum Hudson-Odoi and Eddie Nketiah, as well as a former captain, André Ayew.

Hudson-Odoi, now at English Premiership side Nottingham Forest, and Crystal Palace striker Nketiah had previously declined invitations to represent Ghana but recently signalled a willingness to switch allegiance after the Black Stars secured qualification for the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Despite their notable absence from the current squad, discussions continue over whether the duo could still be integrated into the team ahead of the tournament, particularly with additional preparatory matches against Mexico and Wales scheduled for May.

However, Akonnor, who  handled the national team between January 2020 and September 2021, believes the focus should remain firmly on the current coach’s authority and long-term vision.

“To me, the coach [Otto Addo] must be given space to do his work. The major thing is for the technical team to have peace of mind to work,” he told the Daily Graphic.

“What is important is that the technical team has been strengthened;  these are very capable men.”

Akonnor, 52, also welcomed the recent reinforcement of the Black Stars’ technical team, which now includes five additional personnel, among them Black Queens head coach, Kim Lars Björkegren. He described the move as a clear indication of the GFA’s confidence in Addo and his backroom staff.