Chris Hughton says final bye to Black Stars players, officials in Ivory Coast

Coach Chris Hughton performed his last act as head coach of the Black Stars at the team’s camp in Abidjan, Ivory Coast where they based for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.

Chris Hughton had his last interaction with the players and said his final bye before leaving the team’s hotel in Ivory Coast.

The act marks the departure of Hughton who has endured a difficult spell as head coach of Ghana who have not won an AFCON title since 1982.

Chris Hughton was sacked by the Ghana Football Association in the late hours of Tuesday, January 23, 2024.

A GFA statement confirming his dismissal disclosed that the entire technical team made up of George Boateng, Mas-Ud Didi Drama and Richard Kingson has been dissolved.

“The Ghana Football Association wishes to announce that Chris Hughton has been relieved of his duties as head coach of the senior National team with immediate effect,” GFA added in the statement.

“The Ghana Football Association will in the coming days provide a roadmap on the future direction of the Black Stars.”

The Black Stars left the tournament, winning none, drawing two and losing one of their three games played in Group B.

A 2-1 defeat to Cape Verde in the opening game was followed by 2-2 draws with Egypt and Mozambique in the second and final group matches respectively.

With just two points and a goal deficit, the Black Stars recorded successive group-stage exits from the AFCON, having suffered the same fate in the 2021 edition.

EK