Black Stars: Michael Essien rejected offer to deputize Otto Addo - Reports

Reports from local media indicate that former Ghanaian football star, Michael Essien, declined an offer to serve as deputy to Otto Addo, the newly appointed head coach of the Ghanaian national football team.

The Ghana Football Association (GFA) has reinstated Otto Addo as the senior national team's head coach, replacing Chris Hughton, who was dismissed following Ghana's disappointing performance at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Ivory Coast, where the team suffered an early group phase elimination for the second consecutive tournament.

John Paintsil, a former Ghanaian defender, and Joseph Lauman, a German-born Moroccan coach, have been named as the first and second assistant coaches, respectively, with Fatawu Dauda taking on the role of goalkeeper trainer.

However, Accra-based Original FM reports that after his appointment, Otto Addo reached out to Michael Essien to offer him the assistant coaching position.

Essien, a former Chelsea midfielder and UEFA Champions League winner who currently serves as an assistant coach at FC Nordsjaelland, politely declined the offer, citing that he was not prepared to take on the role at this time.

Otto Addo has been offered a 32-month contract initially, with the possibility of extending for another 24 months. He is slated to lead the Black Stars in upcoming friendly matches against Nigeria and Uganda later this month in Morocco.