Otto Addo addressed the media following the Black Stars’ 2-1 defeat to Niger in their final Group F match at the Accra Sports Stadium. The match saw Ghana scuffle against their West African opponents, with Mohammed Kudus missing a crucial penalty in the closing stages of the game.
Niger took the lead in the 12th minute through Ousseini Badamassai, but Ghana equalized in the 67th minute courtesy of Jerry Afriyie’s goal. However, Niger sealed the win in the 92nd minute with Oumar Sako’s free-kick strike.
An emotional Otto Addo fielded questions from the media, addressing calls for his resignation after failing to qualify Ghana for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations. He also clarified his coaching credentials and roles at Borussia Monchengladbach, Borussia Dortmund, and as a scout for the Black Stars during the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.
Read on for the transcript:
On the game
Surely, with, I don’t know how many players were there today, who used to be there, there was a short time of training with the guys. We had one day less than Niger. I think in Europe this will never happen. CAF has to do something about it, that the last two games must be on the same day because one day is a lot. In these circumstances, one day is a lot, so they have to change it, that’s for sure. I think we started okay, but we conceded a goal. On set-pieces, we were aware that, because the last time we met them, they also had one corner and one goal.
So we were aware that these are the possibilities, counter-attacks and set-pieces on how they could score us. Yeah, we didn’t defend them well, but like I said, those players, they have never played together. It was difficult for them to organise it well. We addressed a lot of things in advance, but surely we have to defend these set-pieces better. Yeah, it seems like everything is going against us. After we switched to back four, I think we came in well. The players did well. Adapting fast to the new system, we created chances. We were unlucky with, I think, one free-kick or so with the post. We had some chances. And at the very end, I think we had the chance to at least equalise. But yeah, at the moment, everything is going against us. But I’ve been solo in this business. This is sometimes a negative structure. Now we have a break and we have to refuel ourselves. Yeah, take the positive things out of it. I think there were some positives, especially with players who hadn’t played, but did well today. This is what we can take out. And surely everybody is disappointed. We know even if we would have played draw, it wouldn’t change anything. But for the energy level of the country, for the energy level of our players, it would have been at least good to equalise or to play draw. But yeah, today was… In this case, in terms of the result, it was not our day. I would really like everyone to surely stay peaceful, to not attack the players if possible. For me, I don’t know, but I have the feeling that sometimes, in certain situations, it goes into the head.
On the role of the media
You have the power. The media have the power to control the narrative of games, not only by the results. And you have the power to lift somebody up. Even if, let’s say, somebody did something bad, you have the power to write something good so that the guy gets away with everything. And you have also the power to, let’s say, to a good guy, to write him down like, if you go on me, you can do it, you can continue, it’s okay. This is normal, the results are not okay. But the players, I really need you to leave them alone, they give their all. But this is football sometimes. You can be better or equal and you don’t play draw. You can be better, you lose. This is football. And yeah, before I finish, I would like us to use this opportunity to pray for peaceful elections. I don’t want this football game to have an effect on this. It’s very, very important. We have a peaceful country; we should leave it like that, no matter the outcomes. And then, surely, even though there were our rivals, let’s pray for peace in Niger and pray for peace in Sudan.
On assessment of the team’s performance in the qualifiers
I see things always difficult and different, because especially if I see the matches, it’s a result sport, so at the end, especially those who didn’t see our matches will call for whatever. But me, from outside, if I look at a football match, I’m not like if somebody lose or they play bad. I’m not like that. So I’m assessing games differently, and football is sometimes like that. But at the end, I’m very, very disappointed. That’s true, and I can understand everybody who’s disappointed or maybe angry. It shouldn’t be to a certain extent. It’s disappointing, and at the end, we have to do better.
On game plan and playing long balls from the back
We had a lot of situations where we came over the side, where we didn’t score, where the cross was not good enough, where somebody was in between, where we had an opportunity to shoot. At one time, we could have shot somebody’s hand. There’s no tactical ball. I would show you a lot of things, what we did also in the game, but also there were long balls, not to neglect that. There were long balls, but it’s always a decision of the player. For me, there are always more plans, and the decisive thing is how the opponent reacts. If an opponent is close to somebody, somebody can run behind, because let’s say the last line, the defenders would push up, to Kudus, maybe behind, then you can play. Sometimes, if Kudus drops a little bit, you have to play in between the line. So there are more things, but the decisive thing is how is the opponent reacting and this determines the way we should play.
On calls for him (Otto) to resign
Surely you don’t know me, you don’t know my life, what I’ve been doing and where I was, I was very down, people have been chasing me, whatever, you don’t know my life, but I’m nobody who can just wake up and resign. If I would have done this, I would never become a national player, I would never become. I would never become a player in the Bundesliga and I would never become a coach, you know I have a very, very different mindset than somebody who would resign, different mindset, totally, towards them, and I have to protect them, if I would sit here and maybe be sad, maybe when I go home, I’ll be sad, but for them, I have to protect them, so this is the first thing.
On assertion that he takes advice from Klopp and Sammer
Sometimes people take things out of context. I’m just saying, that when I’m criticized because the question was, how do I react, how do I take it, and I said, I don’t take it personal, if especially somebody, like this lady asked, like, oh, why didn’t we play like this or we did this, that’s fine, you know, but if somebody gets personal, this is what I said then I refer more to people who understand the game and talk, even there are some Ghanaians who understand, a lot of Ghanaians who I talk to, who understands the game, and they say, oh, Otto, maybe this was, we have to do this on set pieces, and I take my advice, you know, and I was just saying, I take my advice from a lot of experience, so this, let’s just say, somebody is just shouting, like, or resign, or this or that, it’s not like it can affect me, because after every game, I go through every game. I see what we could have done better and there are always things, there’s no game where we couldn’t have done, or maybe myself, couldn’t have done things better, on the pitch, or maybe sometimes off the pitch, there’s no game, there’s always something to improve, and this is what I’m looking for, and surely for this, I need expertise, that’s all what I said, and it’s not like it doesn’t touch me, or nothing, no, I’m always giving everything, everything, and nobody can tell me this, because unless you see how much I work, or what I do, you know, and how much maybe I travel, and how much I see, and how much I watch and like I said, there are also some positives to see and I don’t want to point out this or that player but there are some things which I saw where I think there will be something in the future and it’s never like it’s never like it’s not always going to be down there will be better days. I’m very sure and I experienced it myself as a coach, as an assistant coach, but also as a player and I know it will be. Ghana will come back strong. I’m very sure. I know a lot of people think without me it’s not in my hands, but I, until I’m here, I will give everything, this is how I grew up, this is how I made it as a professional, this is what I can do.
On reaction to criticism and attacks from the media and the public
For me, to be very, very honest, we won against Central African Republic, even before we played, people sent me a lot of things, a lot of hatred, a lot of attacks, even before I was there, because people didn’t want me to come, this is what I’m talking about and then even after we win we’re going to play Angola, I get a lot of hatred. I don’t know why, that’s what I’m talking about and surely when we lost, it continued and this is normal, but, for me, if we win games and then you get hatred and players are being accused about this or that. This is what I’m talking about and I’m just talking about what everybody can do and it’s nothing to do that this is the reason why we failed to qualify, maybe its 1%, of it but 1% can be a difference sometimes. If you score a penalty or not, I’m just saying, it’s my fault, if you want to say it like that we lost and communication with the players and, at the end, this, we are, it’s our own fault, it’s not your fault, then you got me wrong. I’m just saying, I’m just saying, like, like, everybody can do something, about it, because, let’s say, you have a child, he does something wrong, if you, if he does something wrong, and you just beat him, the next time, he does something wrong, he won’t be better, but if you tell him, look, you have to do it like this, maybe he will take it different and do it better, that’s what I’m trying to explain on this part.
On reasons why the Ghana football association or anyone should continue to have faith in him to keep his job
The background was important but it’s the same thing, if we turn things around. I’m just saying, you are a good journalist, just don’t take it personal, if I would say, you are bad, then I would ask you, you know, you won’t do it. Like you said that you’re a good journalist, and I ask you, would you resign? You would say no, because you ask me like, why, and these questions are not in my responsibility, if I should continue or not, like, for me, I’m not, like I said before, and if the next question were asked, we can use the same answer. I’m not a person who gives up. I never give up on nothing. This is the way I came up. If you want to be, let’s say, a footballer, a professional, you will never give up, you fight, you work hard, and you work even harder than normal. You fall down 10 times, you stand up, and you stand up the 11th time and then you do it, this is how I made it, it’s not like, I came up, and then I made it as a professional and the same as a coach, as a coach, it’s not like, oh, somebody will just give you anything for granted, a badge, you have to work hard, you have to have teams, you have to work with them, you have to surely get results, which were not there, 100%. This is my responsibility, no one else, and, and surely you will fall down as a coach. I can give you a lot of examples, Klopp at Dortmund, at the topmost two years, he had big, big problem, he was almost relegated, and then he came up and then he won the championship, so it’s not like anything goes like this. It’s a normal thing and if you take the right things out of it, it will get better, but, this is part of the job and I know this is very, very normal, that you want me to resign or I don’t know what you want me to do, to cry or whatever, No.
On how he feels for not qualifying for the AFCON
I’m very, very sad, look, when, when I go home to my family, I don’t even want to go home, because when I go home, I will see them crying. They are very, very sad, and I will be sad as well. I’m also sad. I’m very sad and I am sad that people around me and Ghanaians are sad. It touches me very much. There’s a different understanding I don’t think you will get it, because, I was born in Germany for me, to come down here, it’s always with the heart, always, you know. There are some others even changing nationalities to play for a different country; I never had this in my heart, never. I always want to play for Ghana; I always want to represent Ghana.
On apology to Ghanaians for the failure
I would like to apologise for the results, very much. I have a wish, one wish, I know for a lot of people, even the World Cup is bigger than the AFCON, but for me personally, the AFCON is bigger. It’s just a personal thing. I know for a lot of people, it’s more important to go to the World Cup and I did it once and, I’m just saying after I did it for the World Cup, a lot of people were against me. I can show you hundreds, things, my, my friends. But nobody apologized afterwards. Some few, not a lot did this. But I am ready to apologise very, very much. I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry that we didn’t do well and we didn’t qualify. I’m very sorry for this one, 100%. I really have to apologise because I know how much this means for every Ghanaian to play in this tournament. I know it. The second thing is, I stopped playing football after I tore my ACL. Even one time when I played for Ghana and then afterwards, I couldn’t play, my knee is gone so I would give everything for the country.
On coaching credentials and certification
When I was 37, I started my C licence. I worked in Hamburger as the under 19 coach. I started as an assistant as an under 19 coach, then five years later, I was the head coach of the under 19 in Hamburg afterwards. I went to Denmark first division as an assistant coach for one and a half years as an assistant coach in the first division; afterwards, I went to Borussia Monchengladbach as an assistant coach and talent manager. And at that time, Kwasi Appiah asked me to scout for him because Ghana was having Germany in their group. I scouted for him in Germany because I was living in Germany, to show him their strength and their weaknesses. So I did this in 2014 for six months. I watched every match Germany played, to prepare, because we appeared for the World Cup in 2014 in Brazil. I did this for six months of scouting for Ghana. Nobody else asked me but I did that only for Ghana, I scouted for six months. During that time, also, I did my B licence, I did my A licence. For this, you always have to work in a certain position to be able to, it takes one year. After that, I did my UEFA Pro licence as a coach.
To coach every team I want to in the world was a long way, very long, a lot of studies. So because I knew, I played together with Vincent Kompany, I went to Manchester City, one week to talk with Guardiola, to see how he trains, whatever. I went to other clubs. I don’t really want to mention, that doesn’t matter. So, this is my journey.
On his role in Brazil 2014 World Cup
I went to Brazil with the team of Ghana in 2014, because Kwasi Appiah liked what I did. He said, oh, Otto, it would be great if you could come to Brazil to scout not only Germany, but also the teams we are playing against during the tournament, so that is what happened, so it’s actually up to date.
I think, to be honest, we played very well against Germany and it ended 2-2. It was Kwasi Appiah who was here, who did it. There were a lot of problems within the team and you know the story, 2014 was a little bit difficult but again, I think they played very well against Germany. This was the only team who played a draw against Germany in the tournament. And after that, I went back to coaching. I went back to Borussia Mönchengladbach First Division as assistant coach, but also in charge of the talents. And then, because we brought some young guys up, Dortmund hired me back again, and I’ve been there for five years and I’ve been also like eight months because they hired one coach and I was the assistant coach in the coach. So I started at 37, and now 49, it’s been 12 years and six months of Coaching and scouting.