Stop-gap Black Stars coach Otto Addo has received massive backing from ex-Ghana FA capo Kwesi Appiah to qualify the team for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
But the former FIFA Council member wants the assistant Borussia Dortmund trainer to select players on ”the basis of demonstrable merit ” for next month two-legged playoffs against rivals Nigeria.
Addo, who played at the 2006 World Cup finals, leads a four-man coaching staff comprising Mas-Ud Didi Dramani and George Boateng.
Former Newcastle and Brighton manager Chris Hughton has been hired as Technical Advisor for the two matches.
”I believe that Otto Addo is on the verge of making history if he qualifies Ghana to the World Cup. He will be the first Black Stars player of this generation to qualify the team to the World Cup as the head coach and I believe it will bring a lot of dignity, honour to him as an individual and his family,” Nyantakyi disclosed on GTV Sports Plus on Thursday night.
”In whatever way we can, the media – in particular – say good things about them, motivate and encourage them.
”Otto Addo should operate as a man of his own. He should select players on the basis of demonstrable merit so that like the wife of [Julius] Caesar, very little can be said about the peoples’ qualification, competence or integrity.
”But I believe that if we are united and rally behind this team, we are capable of qualifying.
”I don’t share the view that we don’t have players. A national team is not a club side where you will go to South America to buy players to come and play for and Ghana is an acknowledged resource centre for the development, renewable talents for football.
”If you get the right players and motivate them, handled by this technical team, I have no doubt that we will qualify and that project-qualifying to the World Cup – must be everybody’s project.
”We must all rally behind the GFA to ensure that Ghana qualifies.”
Ghana will host the first leg against the Super Eagles at the Cape Coast stadium on Thursday, March 24, 2022.
The return leg will be played three days later.