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Chris Hughton to be confirmed as new Ghana head coach

Chris Hughton looks to have won the race to be named the new head coach of the Ghanaian national ...
Richie McCormack
Richie McCormack

22.25 4 Feb 2022


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Chris Hughton to be confirmed...

Chris Hughton to be confirmed as new Ghana head coach

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Richie McCormack
Richie McCormack

22.25 4 Feb 2022


Share this article


Chris Hughton looks to have won the race to be named the new head coach of the Ghanaian national team. 

The former Republic of Ireland defender - and assistant coach - has been in the West African country for the last few days, but faced competition for the vacancy from Borussia Dortmund no.2, Otto Addo.

The Ghanaian Football Association (GFA) had seemed happy to appoint Addo on an interim basis ahead of next month's two-legged World Cup playoff with Nigeria.

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Milovan Rajevac's second spell in charge lasted just four months - the Serb was sacked after a dismal Africa Cup of Nations campaign that saw the Black Stars collect just a solitary point from their three group games.

Reports in the Ghanaian media suggested Addo would be installed for the Nigeria games, with Hughton taking up a technical advisor role.

However, meetings with Ghana's president Nana Akufo-Addo, the GFA and the country's Sports Ministry look to have swung things in Hughton's favour.

He has high-powered supporters - namely Ghana's former Youth & Sports Minister Edwin Nii Lante Vanderpueye who told GNA Sports this week, "I have always been an admirer of Chris Hughton, because he is a top-notch coach with Ghanaian descent, and I have followed his exploits in the English Premier League in the past and undoubtedly one of the best.

"If we choose Chris Hughton as the next coach then what kind of project are we putting before him, would it be a long- or short-term project. I have once held talks with her sometime back when I was Sports Minister and we wanted to bring him onboard.

"The whole idea back then was to get him to convince players with Ghanaian descent in the Premier League, Championship and other European leagues to play for the Black Stars.

"With Hughton we are looking at a long-term project of which he can decide on making Ghana one of the most powerful football nations in the world in the next 10-20 years."

There have been reports that Hughton may try and tempt Premier League players like Callum Hudson-Odoi and Tariq Lamptey to declare their international allegiance for Ghana if he gets the job.

The 63-year old has been out of work since his sacking by Nottingham Forest in September.

The Ghana job would represent Hughton's return to international football for the first time since he left the FAI alongside Brian Kerr in 2005.

In between, there have been promotions to the Premier League with Newcastle, Norwich and Brighton.

Hughton's father Willie hailed from Ghana, with his mother Christine earning his qualification to represent Ireland.

There have been reports that Hughton may try and tempt Premier League players like Callum Hudson-Odoi and Tariq Lamptey to declare their international allegiance for Ghana if he gets the job.

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