By Joe Apu
In a bid to boost the chances of the Black Stars ahead of the Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup playoff between Ghana and Nigeria, the Ghana Football Association (GFA) on Thursday named Irish international, Chris Hughton as technical adviser to the new interim manager Otto Addo.
Hughton, who has managed Newcastle United, Brighton and Hove Albion in the Premier League and lately Nottingham Forest was born in England to a Ghanaian father and an Irish mother.
Hughton qualified to play for the Republic of Ireland as the son of an Irish mother and a Ghanaian father, becoming the first mixed-race player to represent the country. He made his debut for Ireland in October 1979 in a friendly against the United States and won 53 caps for the Republic from 1979 to 1991.
Hughton was part of the nation’s final squads for UEFA Euro 1988 – playing in all three matches – and the 1990 FIFA World Cup, where he did not play (Steve Staunton played instead). He scored his only international goal in a 6–0 win against Cyprus in the qualifiers for the 1982 World Cup.
He served as the national team’s assistant manager under Brian Kerr, from February 2003 to October 2005.
While Otto Addo, is a former Ghana international, who has worked as an assistant manager at top German clubs Borussia Dortmund and Borussia Mönchengladbach.
According to a GFA statement on Wednesday Addo and Hughton have been brought together to lead the Black Stars during their 2022 World Cup qualifying play-off against Nigeria next month.
“Former Newcastle United and Brighton and Hove Albion manager Chris Hughton has been appointed as Technical Advisor to the newly constituted Black Stars Technical team led by Otto Addo,” a statement read.
“Other members of the new Technical team include George Boateng and Mas-Ud Didi Dramani. The 63- year old will provide Technical advice to the three man team for next month’s FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 play-off match against Nigeria.
“The Executive Council of the Ghana Football Association took the decision at a meeting held in Accra on Wednesday, February 9, 2022. Otto Addo, a former Ghana player is currently the Assistant Coach of German Bundesliga club Borussia Dortmund – he boasts of about 13 years of Coaching experience that dates back to 2009 when he first took up the job of an Assistant Coach at Hamburger SV.
“The 46-year old previously worked as a scout for the Black Stars in 2013 prior to the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil and the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations in Equatorial Guinea. The four man team has been put together to take charge of the two matches against rivals Nigeria.
“The Black Stars will take on the Super Eagles at the Cape Coast Stadium on March 24 before travelling to Nigeria for the 2nd leg at the Abuja Sports Stadium on Sunday, March 27, 2022.”
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