Former Ghana international, Michael Osei, has said that Coach Otto Addo’s feat of qualifying Ghana’s Black Stars to the FIFA World Cup as a player and as a coach would serve as a big motivation for other internationals who wants to go into coaching.
According to him, featuring at the World Cup as a player or a coach was a very special moment one savours, adding that, “what Addo has done will motivate a number of us to work harder to realize a similar feat.”
Otto Addo was a member of the Black Stars playing staff of the Black Stars that qualified for Ghana’s first Mundial in Germany in 2006 under Serbian trainer, Ratomir Dujkovic.
Now under him as a coach, he sealed qualification for the Qatar 2022 World Cup with support from seasoned coaches that includes Mas-Ud Didi Dramani, George Boateng, a youth coach of English Premier League side Aston Villa and English veteran coach, Chris Houghton.
In the former Asante Kotoko coach’s view, what Addo has done would open many doors for Ghanaian coaches and believes that will restore some confidence in us as well.
Speaking to the Times Sports in an interview over the weekend, the Bibiani Goldstars Coach, explained that Otto Addo’s World Cup qualification was very significant to the former players of the Black Stars.
“Now, we know that if you are a Ghanaian and your work rate remains satisfactory, you can be considered for such high profile adventures. Indeed, the Black Stars is our property and we must all work hard to make it the best national team.”
He lauded the coaches and the players for the fight to book one of the four tickets to Qatar 2022 after edging Nigeria on the away goal rule in a two-legged encounter that was played in Ghana and Nigeria.
“Ghana’s qualification to the World Cup comes with great opportunities for players, coaches and even extends to former players of the national team. Some of these players would be watched the world over and show what he is made off.”
“Some people want to downplay on that feat but beating Nigeria was no joke; no matter the state or strength the team. Of course, they had the galaxy of stars but the Ghanaians remained the very determined and showed the great character.”
He said “the World Cup is a big stage; every player dreams to be there and Ghana have done it for the fourth time and we are all happy about it.”
“We are now hoping that the technical team will work hard to strengthen the weaknesses in the team by inviting other players out there who are not part of the team.”
Ghana is currently drawn in group F with Portugal, Uruguay and South Korea for the Mundial in Qatar.
BY EMMANUEL ASANTE
