Former Ghana international, Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu has called for support for under-pressure coach, Otto Addo, saying he will need the support of everyone to succeed.
The 45-year-old trainer who was reappointed in March earlier this year as Black Stars coach on a 34-month deal with an option of a 24-month deal has come under scrutiny following the senior national team's horrendous performance in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers.
After four games, Ghana sit 3rd in Group F with just two points and seems they will miss out on playing at the AFCON for the first time in 20 years.
The Black Stars suffered a surprising 1-0 defeat to Angola before being held to a 1-1 draw against Niger in the first two games.
Otto Addo and his side were aiming to return to winning ways when they faced Sudan in a doubleheader. However, the first leg at the Accra Sports Stadium ended goalless before losing 2-0 in the return leg in Libya.
However, the FIFA U-20 World Cup winner praised Addo for his work done during his first spell after leading the Black Stars to the World Cup in Qatar but implored that he will need the support of everyone to come good after a difficult start in the qualifiers.
"I’ve supported him [Otto Addo] since the World Cup qualifiers against Nigeria. He’s been consistently involved with the national team and knows the landscape very well," the former Udinese star told Flashscore in an interview.
"When he was appointed, I thought, ‘He’s one of us - let’s back him fully and provide all the support we can to build something of our own.'
"When the team was depleted before the game against Nigeria, he stepped in and took charge. Though he didn’t secure any wins, he managed to lead the country to qualify for the FIFA World Cup.
“The World Cup performance wasn’t bad, even though we didn’t advance past the group stage.
"He was given a four-year contract to build a strong team for us. At this stage, it’s challenging for the coach alone - he needs everyone’s support,” he added.
Ghana will wrap up their qualifiers with games against Angola and Niger later this month. The Black Stars can only qualify for the AFCON should Sudan lose against Niger and Angola.