Ghana’s Black Stars coach, Otto Addo, has shed light on the reasoning behind introducing new players to the team’s setup ahead of the upcoming Unity Cup in London.
Five players have received debut call-ups for the tournament, namely Joseph Tetteh Anang (St. Patrick’s Athletic), Abdul Aziz Issah (Barcelona B), Aaron Essel (North Texas SC), Caleb Yirenkyi (FC Nordsjælland), and Mohammed Gaddafi Fuseini (Union St. Gilloise).
According to Addo, the Unity Cup presents an ideal opportunity to closely observe players who have been on his radar over the past few months.
“These two matches are crucial for the team, just like the FIFA World Cup qualifiers in September,” the 48-year-old explained. “Team building is a process that requires time, and it’s not something that happens overnight. This is a great chance to give our young players a platform to prove themselves.”
Addo emphasized that the goal is to create competition within the team by providing an equal opportunity for all talents to showcase their skills.
“We’re looking beyond individual players and focusing on building a strong team,” he said. “That’s why I’ve decided to give many of these young players a chance to play and prove themselves, with the aim of making them key members of my team going forward.”
The Unity Cup comes at a critical time for Ghana, and the team aims to make the most of it.
Ghana will face Nigeria at the Gtech Community Stadium in West London on May 28, with the winner advancing to the final on May 31.
Notable absentees include Kamaldeen Sulemana, Ernest Nuamah, Mohammed Kudus, Inaki Williams and Thomas Partey, while Abdul Salis Samed, Kwame Opoku, and Felix Afena-Gyan have returned to the squad.
The Unity Cup will serve as part of preparations for Ghana’s crucial 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Chad and Mali in the September international window.
