Ghana’s Black Stars head coach, Otto Addo, has addressed the decision to exclude Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey from the squad for the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers against Angola and Niger as reported by Adomonline on Friday, November 8, 2024.
Partey, who had been a key figure in Ghana’s midfield, was left out of the 25-man squad for these crucial qualifiers.
Speaking to the media, Addo explained that his conversation with the player remained private but emphasized the impportance of player protection in the decision-making process.
“I had a confidential talk with Thomas. I am the coach who always wants to protect the players,” Addo stated.
“The whole point for me was getting the understanding. I am not going to tell you the internal issues, but I made it quite clear to him; he wanted to come, but I made it quite clear why he’s not coming.”
Though Addo refrained from divulging specific details of the discussion, he made it clear that the matter was resolved. “It’s difficult for me to mention all the things, so maybe we have to move on,” he added.
Partey’s absence has caused a reshuffling in the leadership structure of the Black Stars. Initially, Addo had planned to appoint Partey as the team’s captain, with hopes of having him guide the squad.
“The initiative was to make Thomas the captain of the team and for him to lead the team,” he revealed.
Now, in Partey’s absence, Addo has turned to younger players to assume leadership roles. After discussing the captaincy with Partey, Addo spoke with Mohammed Kudus, emphasizing that the midfielder was still in the process of growing into such responsibilities.
“For him, I think he’s still young; he needs to grow into that role,” Addo stated.
With Kudus not yet ready for the captaincy, and Alexander Djiku also stepping up in a leadership capacity, Jordan Ayew has been handed the captain’s armband for the upcoming qualifiers.
“The last time, he was the captain because we expected Thomas to come,” Addo confirmed.
Ghana will face Angola on November 15 in Luanda at the Estádio 11 de Novembro, followed by a home game against Niger on November 18 at the Accra Sports Stadium.
The Black Stars currently sit third in Group F, with just two points from four matches, trailing Angola and Sudan.