Ghana dismissed manager Chris Hughton following an abysmal Africa Cup of Nations 2024 campaign where they crashed out in the group stage.
Led by the former Republic of Ireland international, the Black Stars were expected to at least reach the quarter-finals of the tournament.
After opening Group B with a shock loss to Cape Verde, Ghana bounced back with a commendable draw against Egypt.
Three points against Mozambique in their final group match were needed to maximise their chances of progressing to the next round.
Ghana surged into a 2-0 lead over the Mambas, with Jordan Ayew bagging a brace, but they came crashing back to earth as Mozambique scored twice in stoppage time to draw level.
The result sent Ghanaian journalists into rage mode and left forward Mohammed Kudus absolutely speechless in his post-match interview.
The crestfallen Ghanaian fans tore into their team, demanding a revolution. The first target was Hughton, who had served as a director in the Ghanaian FA since February 2022.
Hughton had taken over as the manager following the departure of Otto Addo after they exited the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
His results outside the AFCON didn’t inspire any confidence as they scrambled for a win in their first 2026 World Cup qualifier.
The ex-Irish international needed a stoppage-time goal to beat Madagascar before they suffered defeat against lowly-ranked Comoros.
Despite their struggles under Hughton, punters on the Emerald Isle still had confidence that their compatriot could guide the Black Stars to success.
Ghana were one of the more fancied teams to win AFCON 2024 on betting sites in Ireland due to Hughton’s involvement, but they ultimately failed to deliver.
His team’s AFCON 2024 exit wasn’t an anomaly – it was a page ripped straight from a well-worn playbook of disappointment.
Ghana’s history at the tournament makes for grim reading. They have not lifted the trophy for 42 years. Most of Ghana’s international stars had not been born the last time they tasted glory in 1982.
They performed admirably at AFCON under Asamoah Gyan between 2008 and 2017. Ghana finished third in 2008 and were runners-up in 2010 and 2015.
Hughton was brought in after their recent struggles but his tactics faltered, individual errors littered the pitch and the weight of expectation proved too heavy.
They weren’t just doomed by the dismal draw against Mozambique, but the collective weight of unfulfilled potential hanging over their holds.
There were ominous signs that Ghana would struggle at AFCON 2024 during the qualifiers. They were in poor shape, crawling into the tournament despite being one of the favourites in a group which included the Central African Republic and Madagascar.
Their limp draw against 115-ranked Namibia in their AFCON preparation match was a sign of things to come. Ghana struggled and looked unconvincing in front of a home crowd in Kumasi.
Their lofty world ranking garnered by previous achievements has given Ghana a false sense of entitlement. They have actually been on a sharp decline since 2017.
Ghana reached at least the semi-final of every AFCON tournament between 2008 and 2017 and three consecutive World Cups between 2006 and 2014.
However, they have looked unrecognisable in recent years and their issues became more evident under Hughton. They have sorely lacked character and style, evidenced by their chaotic and utterly embarrassing showing at the latest AFCON.
The lack of style was a constant theme under Hughton as Ghanaians failed to identify with a team that lacked a true identity.
Hughton’s tactics were questionable, and the pressure was suffocating. But these were merely the final notes in a discordant symphony of disappointment.
The rot runs much deeper than Hughton and Ghana must now accept that a complete rebuild is needed to ensure they become big-hitters in Africa again.
