Ahead of what could be the decisive group game against South Korea, Ghana’s national coach Otto Addo rejects any criticism of his team’s style of play. After the 3-2 draw against Portugal, the Ghanaian media in particular complained that the “Black Stars” had acted too defensively and reverently. “It is always the same. If we lose, I’m bad. If we win, I’ll be a genius,” said the 47-year-old. “It’s your job, but many of you have never played football professionally. I know a little about medicine, but I can’t tell a doctor what to do.”
Ghana are already under a lot of pressure against South Korea on Monday (2 p.m.). After all, the goal is to survive the group stage and reach the round of 16. A look at Ghana’s World Cup record shows that two of the three appearances before this year’s edition had made it through to the knockout rounds. Upcoming opponent South Korea started with a 0-0 draw against Uruguay. Addo, of all people, played a part in the successful career of the team’s star, Heung-min Son.
“I had him as a player in the U19s in Hamburg,” said Addo, who was head coach of the “Rothosen” A-Juniors between 2010 and 2015. It is always difficult to predict a development, especially with youth players. “But I saw something in him and suggested him to the first team. He’s had a great career,” he said. With a market value of 70 million euros, Son is by far the most valuable South Korean.
World Cup 2022: The most valuable players per nation
Akram Afif | Qatar | Al Sadd SC | Market value: €4 million
Meanwhile, looking back at the Portugal game, Addo apologized for his criticism of the referee. “I was a bit emotional and I hope I don’t get a penalty,” said the former Bundesliga professional. Addo had criticized the decision which had resulted in a penalty and the subsequent lead for Portugal. In his opinion, the video assistant should have turned on. “Everyone makes mistakes, we are all human. We are now concentrating on things that we can influence,” he said.
We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.
