Black Stars Head Coach Otto Addo has confirmed that West Ham attacker Mohammed Kudus will captain the team in their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier against Sudan on Thursday.
Otto Addo’s decision comes after substantive captain, Thomas Partey, was unable to honour the Black Stars call-up due to injury, despite appearing in Arsenal’s most recent game against Southampton.
Speaking at a pre-match press conference in Accra, Otto Addo noted that being the skipper does not always matter and that all players should take some responsibility on the pitch.
‘Kudus would lead the team, and like I said before, he would be the second captain. For us, it is about leadership and responsibility and not about having the captaincy, it is about all the players.
‘I know traditionally it is good to respect your elder players off the pitch, but on the pitch everybody is equal; we have to get to a point where no matter your age, you can criticise another player and the understanding of the older player to take it.
‘This would elevate the whole team to another level, and with this, we can win games,’ he said.
When asked if Thomas Partey’s absence would affect the team, Otto Addo said they have different solutions in his absence and was optimistic that his strategy would work.
‘Surely this kind of situation happens in football, but we don’t rely on one player. Sometimes, as a coach, I have to rethink, and that is my job.
‘We have different solutions and how to play, and we discussed with the staff about players who are here and how we can inspire them to give their best performance,’ he said.
The highly anticipated Ghana vs. Sudan encounter will be played on Thursday, October 10, 2024, at the Accra Sports Stadium at 16:00 GMT.
Source: Ghana News Agency