Senior sports journalist Ekow Asmah says he is deeply perplexed by the performance of Black Stars coach Chris Hughton, who assumed the helm of the team earlier this year. Hughton, in his five matches in charge, has yet to settle on a consistent starting eleven, a fact that has raised questions among numerous football enthusiasts, with Ekow sharing similar concerns.
In a recent encounter, the Ghanaian national team suffered their first defeat under Hughton’s leadership, losing 2-0 to Mexico in an international friendly at the Bank of America Stadium over the weekend. The performance of the Stars on that day was also lackluster, leading to criticism of Hughton’s decision to bench key players and experiment with positional changes, such as deploying Mohammed Kudus on the wings while keeping Jordan Ayew and others on the bench.
Assessing the team’s performance under Hughton, Ekow Asmah expressed his concerns on Happy FM, stating, “We cannot afford to have Chris Hughton still experimenting with players at this stage. The inability to settle on a consistent starting eleven is both surprising and worrisome. Ghanaians do not want this uncertainty, especially with the AFCON approaching next year. Critical areas like the goalkeeping department need urgent attention because as we prepare for the AFCON, certain weaknesses in the team cannot be tolerated.”
Following their loss to Mexico, Hughton and his team are now gearing up for their upcoming match against the USA, scheduled for October 18 at Geodis Park in Nashville.