Dortmund permit Otto Addo to keep Ghana role through to 2022 World Cup
The 46-year-old can "definitely" look forward to duels with Portugal, Uruguay and South Korea in Qatar.
Otto Addo has disclosed that his employers Borussia Dortmund have given their okay for him to continue as interim coach of the Ghana senior national team till the 2022 Fifa World Cup is over.
The ex-Ghana international with 15 caps – who works as a talent coach with the German giants – has in recent times been playing a dual role which sees him join up with the Black Stars during international breaks.
Addo initially became one of the assistant coaches when Milovan Rajevac made a return to coach Ghana in September 2021. He was elevated to an interim head coach position after the Serbian got sacked post the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) in Cameroon earlier this year.
The 46-year-old was tasked to secure Ghana’s qualification to the 2022 Fifa World Cup – a feat he achieved by edging rivals Nigeria in the playoffs held in March.
Ghanaian authorities have since moved to land Addo’s services on a permanent basis or at least extend the existing arrangement to allow the coach to go on and lead the Black Stars at the World Cup later in November.
Confirming that he will coach Ghana in Qatar, the 2006 World Cup player revealed in a podcast with Hamburger Abendblatt:
“We have now, fortunately, discussed it to the end. I have been given permission by Dortmund.”
Addo explained that Borussia Dortmund sporting director Sebastian Kehl – a former teammate – did not want to deprive him of the golden opportunity to coach at the World Cup.
He added that there was even the possibility that he could lead the Black Stars in the 2023 Afcon qualifiers which start next month.
“It works out that under certain conditions I can do the international game phases in June, September and also the World Cup,” Addo is quoted as saying.
Otto Addo can now “definitely” look forward to duels with Portugal, Uruguay and South Korea in Group H of the Qatar 2022 Fifa World Cup.
He will become the second Ghanaian to lead his country at the Mundial after Kwasi Appiah in 2014.
