Story By: Ahashie Judeliver Eli
Former Ghana international Ellis Samuel Ato, has expressed deep concern over the recent performance of the senior national football team – the Black Stars under coach Chris Hughton.
Reflecting on the Stars’ recent matches in an interview on Happy FM, , Ato stated, “I was so angry when I watched our game against Madagascar and also against Comoros.”
He highlighted a perceived issue within the team dynamics, suggesting that the players are mirroring the defensive approach set by coach Chris Hughton. “If the coach is scared to attack and approaches the game with a defensive setup, we would have teams like Madagascar and Comoros having more possession than a country like Ghana—a country that is a four-time AFCON champion,” he emphasized.
The former player expressed disappointment with Hughton’s lack of confidence, asserting that it has a direct impact on the team’s performance. “The confidence of Chris Hughton is very down, and it is affecting the team. It is really disappointing to see the way the team plays,” Ato added.
Chris Hughton since taking over as head coach has guided Ghana to 4wins, 3 losses, and 2 draws in 9 games.
In a setback to Ghana’s aspirations during the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers, the Black Stars suffered a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Comoros in Moroni on Tuesday afternoon.
The loss leaves Ghana at three points after two rounds, while Comoros rises to the top of the group with four points from two matches.
With attention now turning to the upcoming 2023 Africa Cup of Nations tournament in Ivory Coast, scheduled for January and February 2024, Ghana faces the challenge of regaining their former glory.
They will be hoping to punch above their weight after they exited in group stage of the previous edition in Cameroon.
