Former Black Stars skipper Asamoah Gyan has expressed confidence in the ability of the Black Stars’ new handlers to turn things around. Otto Addo is for the second time leading the team. Though his previous stint ended with an early exit from the World Cup in Qatar, Gyan believes things will change.
The former Al Ain goal poacher said there is freshness in the team and Otto Addo needs time to shape things well. Speaking in an interview on Asempa FC, the ex-Sunderland hitman said “it is a different atmosphere and different players.” Gyan said, “although he[Otto Addo] has worked with some of the players, I think it’s still a process.”
While many are skeptical Otto Addo will not bring any improvements based on his previous performance with the team, Gyan believes the former Black Stars midfielder has assembled the right team to succeed.
“He also came with a new staff so it’s a different era. Let’s see what he also has for us. We will support him through his rebuilding to see where he can take us. Ghanaians will be the ones to judge what he has done so I think we should give him time to rebuild his team.”
Otto Addo’s return has not been smooth with the trainer already suffering mixed results in his first two matches. An international friendly against Nigeria ended in a 2-1 defeat. Days later, the team threw away a lead twice to draw 2-2 with Uganda in another international friendly.
Meanwhile, Asamoah Gyan believes John Paintsil deserves his appointment as the Black Stars assistant coach. The former Fulham and Hapoel Tel Aviv defender was named as one of the assistants of Otto Addo. Based on his personal record for the Black Stars with whom he made 89 caps in a span of 12 years, many expected a warm reception. However, his appointment was met with trolls and questions of his competence. Though most of those comments were due to the position the former West Ham United defender took when Ghanaians organized protest against the GFA, a good number doubted he merited the position.
But Asamoah Gyan who has spent years with the former Kaizer Chiefs assistant coach said Paintsil earned the position.
“John [Paintsil] sacrificed a lot for the national team but people seem to forget. After retirement, he went to coach in South Africa as an assistant and gathered relevant experience. If you look at his life after retirement, all he he has done is coach. So if I look at his records and what he has done, I can only support his appointment to the assistant’s role