Working in Africa is different - Chris Hughton on his time as Black Stars coach

Former Ghana national team head coach Chris Hughton has spoken about his time in charge for the first time since his dismissal from the Black Stars in 2023.

Hughton, who served as technical advisor coach Otto Addo in 2022, was appointed as Addo’s replacement after a poor showing at the 2022 Qatar FIFA World Cup.

However, he didn’t last long in the role after a disappointing Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournament in Ivory Coast. Ghana exited from the group stages and was dismissed right after the competition.

This, Hughton admitted was a challenging role to accept as Ghanaians are very passionate about football especially the Black Stars.

He admitted that being in charge of the team meant he was always under pressure and immense scrutiny from the Ghanaian people.

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He shared:

Working in Africa is very different. I worked for a nation that is football-mad. One thing Ghanaians love, apart from the Premier League, is the Black Stars.

Hughton has spent most of his managerial career in England and was new to African football terrain.

Chris Hughton on pressure and need for good results

According to him, he was aware of this pressure and knew results would be the ultimate measure of his tenure.

I knew the pressure of taking the job when I took it, and if you’re not getting the right results, then you will know about it.

Away from this, the 65-year-old is still keen on contributing to football and helping the game in any means possible.

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Hughton’s coaching and managerial career has seen him at teams such as Tottenham Hotspur, Newcastle United, Birmingham City, Norwich City, Brighton & Hove Albion, and Nottingham Forest.