Gospel musician Sonnie Badu has thrown his weight behind James Kwesi Appiah to become the next head coach of Ghana’s senior national team, the Black Stars, following the dismissal of Otto Addo.
In a Facebook post reacting to Monday’s international friendly defeat to Germany, the award-winning singer acknowledged some positives from the match but questioned whether Addo was equipped to handle the senior team.
“After last night’s match, I gained some hope in Otto, but I think the senior national team was too big a responsibility for him,” Badu wrote. “Maybe he’d be a better fit for one of the junior national teams.”
The musician was more definitive in his endorsement of Appiah, a former Black Stars captain who previously managed the team from 2012 to 2014 and again between 2017 and 2020.
Badu cited Appiah’s familiarity with the current squad and his experience as critical advantages, particularly with limited preparation time ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
“Let’s get Akwesi Appiah, even if it’s just for the World Cup,” he stated, warning that hiring a foreign coach at this stage could prove risky due to the time required for adaptation.
Black Stars struggling for consistency
Badu’s intervention comes at a time of mounting concern over the team’s direction. Ghana dropped to 74th in the latest FIFA rankings released on April 1, 2026, slipping two places from its previous position.
The Black Stars remain 14th in Africa, but recent results have heightened anxiety among supporters. Ghana failed to qualify for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations and has endured a difficult international window, with the loss to Germany exposing organisational frailties and a lack of match sharpness.
The Ghana Football Association parted ways with Otto Addo on March 31, the day after the Germany defeat, leaving the coaching position vacant.
While the team secured qualification for the 2026 World Cup after topping their group in late 2025, the latest ranking dip — having previously fallen as low as 77th globally before a brief recovery — underscores the scale of the task facing Addo’s successor.
With the global showpiece approaching, attention is now firmly fixed on who will take charge as the search for stability and improved performance intensifies.
