Black Stars coach Otto Addo has provided insight into his decision to leave Thomas Partey out of Ghana’s squad for the upcoming matches, citing a private conversation aimed at protecting the player.
Speaking to the media, Addo emphasized his dedication to keeping specific details confidential but shared some reasoning behind the choice.
“I had a confidential talk with Thomas. I am the coach who always wants to protect the players,” Addo said. “The whole point for me was getting the understanding. I am not going to tell you the internal issues, but I made it quite clear to him; he wanted to come, but I made it quite clear why he’s not coming.”
Addo’s comments suggest that the decision to exclude Partey was mutually understood, with the coach indicating it stemmed from personal reasons between them. “Like I said, it is confidential, so it’s difficult for me to mention all the things, so maybe we have to move on,” he added, implying that the issue is resolved.
Partey’s absence has prompted changes in the team’s leadership structure. Addo shared that Partey was initially planned to lead the squad. “The initiative was to make Thomas the captain of the team and for him to guide the team, to lead the team,” Addo stated.
In his absence, Addo turned to younger players for leadership roles. “After the talks with Thomas… I had to talk to Kudus. For him, I think he’s still young; he needs to grow into that role,” he explained.
Defender Alexander Djiku and midfielder Mohammed Kudus were previously selected to assist Partey, but with Partey unavailable, Jordan Ayew has assumed the captaincy. “The last time, he was the captain because we expected Thomas to come,” Addo concluded.
