Ghana Back Chris Hughton Amid Dispute

Ghana is firmly supporting coach Chris Hughton despite a dispute with a fan following their surprising 2-1 loss to Cape Verde in the Africa Cup of Nations.

Hughton, who took over as coach in February 2022, faced his fourth defeat in 11 games. Reports initially suggested a physical altercation with a fan, but Ghana clarified it was a verbal confrontation, resolving the issue internally.

Hughton, a former manager for Nottingham Forest, Brighton, and Newcastle, had a successful start with Ghana, remaining unbeaten in their first five games. However, recent setbacks, including the Cape Verde loss and a World Cup qualification shock in November, raised concerns.

Ghana Football Association spokesperson Henry Asante-Twum assured full support for Hughton, emphasizing the team’s potential to win their remaining matches.

“We have had a meeting with the coach and gave him 100% assurance that we are solidly behind him. We think it is possible for the team to win the two remaining matches to make it to the next round” he said.

The Ghana FA also heightened security at the team’s hotel after the incident involving a single supporter confronting Hughton about the team’s performance.

Asante-Twum clarified that it was a verbal altercation, and security intervened without making an arrest.

Acknowledging post-game tensions, Asante-Twum emphasized efforts to prevent such incidents in the future.

Despite the recent defeats, Ghana remains optimistic about their chances in the ongoing tournament and expressed confidence in Hughton’s coaching abilities.

There was only a verbal confrontation,” he added. “He was actually trying to get closer to the coach and then the security on duty intervened – there was no arrest but security took him away from the scene.

“Normally after games, tempers are high, emotions go up – we will try as much as possible to not allow this thing to repeat itself.”

The football association is addressing the issue internally, reinforcing support for Hughton, and enhancing security measures to prevent similar incidents in the future. Despite recent setbacks, there is optimism about the team’s potential success in the remaining matches of the Africa Cup of Nations.