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Black Stars coach Otto Addo has shared insights into Thomas Partey’s exclusion from Ghana’s squad for the final AFCON qualifiers against Angola and Niger. The Arsenal midfielder was left out of the 25-man lineup despite his desire to play. While Addo refrained from sharing specific details of his conversation with Partey, he emphasized that the decision was made with the player’s best interests in mind.
“I had a confidential talk with Thomas. As a coach, I aim to protect the players,” Addo explained. “He wanted to come, but I made it clear why he’s not coming,” he added, indicating that the matter is resolved.
Partey’s absence has also led to a shift in the team’s leadership. Initially, Addo had planned to make Partey the captain to guide the team. However, with Partey unavailable, Addo has assigned leadership responsibilities to other players, including younger talents like Mohammed Kudus, who Addo believes needs time to mature into a captaincy role. Consequently, Jordan Ayew has been named as the team captain for the upcoming games.
The Black Stars will face Angola in Luanda on November 15, followed by a home game against Niger in Accra on November 18. Ghana currently sits third in Group F, with two points from four matches, and must win both games to have a chance of qualifying for the 2025 AFCON tournament.
