Then came a disastrous showing in their opening game of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Abidjan on January 14, where they were largely outplayed and beaten 1-2 by a determined Cape Verde side.
It is a dire situation that has left many fans at a tipping point.
The boiling frustration reached its zenith right after Ghana’s disappointing loss to Cape Verde on Sunday, when an angry supporter confronted Chris Hughton at the team’s hotel lobby, verbally accusing the coach before the timely intervention of Ivorian security officers helped prevent the tense situation from spiraling into outright chaos.
For many Ghanaians, the Black Stars have looked unrecognizable in recent years. From being a team that once oozed class on the pitch – reaching the semifinal of every AFCON from 2008 to 2017 and qualifying for three successive World Cups in 2006, 2010, and 2014 – the national team is currently a characterless unit that no longer strikes fear in its opponents.
Under Hughton, like the last few coaches at the helm, the football has been dreadful, fans and experts say. The issues are stacked; no visible style of play, non-existent attacking intent, atrocious defending, and the inability to sometimes string basic passes. Many players who are usually decent for their clubs have been underperforming in the national team.
Even members of the side have admitted to not just being good enough.
“We have always lost concentration at crucial moments,” forward Jordan Ayew admitted after the defeat to Cape Verde.
”We need to be more aggressive, we need to play more, we need to create more chances,” said defender Alexander Djiku.
Cape Verde’s players celebrate after winning against Ghana
Cape Verde’s players celebrate after winning at the end of the AFCON Group B football match against Ghana at the Felix Houphouet-Boigny Stadium in Abidjan on January 14, 2024 [Sia Kambou/AFP]
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