‘The treatment of Dede Ayew is not normal’ - Countryman Songo fires Otto Addo

Veteran sports journalist Patrick Osei Agyemang, widely known as Countryman Songo, has strongly criticised Black Stars head coach Otto Addo over his handling of team captain Andre Ayew.

According to Songo, a prominent critic of the national team, the treatment of the former U-20 World Cup champion has crossed beyond mere football decisions.

Ayew has not been selected for the national squad since June, missing out on both the 2025 African Cup of Nations qualifiers and the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.

Speaking to Pipapipa TV, Songo expressed deep dissatisfaction with the national team’s management, pointing out the unfair exclusion of Ayew.

“The treatment of Dede Ayew is not normal, and it goes beyond football,” Songo stated. “Initially, Otto Addo said he wouldn’t need him for the two World Cup qualifiers. Now we’ve played AFCON qualifiers, and Dede is still left out.”

Songo further claimed that certain influential figures are using Addo as a means to push their personal agendas within the team. “Some people are using Dede Ayew as a tool to settle scores. Dede is still strong. He had surgery at West Ham, but he’s fully recovered. The only reason he’s out is due to the internal politics in the team. They’re making unfounded allegations against him and are using the coach to execute their plans,” he added.

The recent Black Stars call-ups have drawn criticism from Ghanaians, who have raised concerns about the inclusion of players reportedly favoured by high-ranking officials in the Ghana Football Association (GFA)

Otto Addo on dropping Andre Ayew

Otto Addo explained that his focus is on long-term squad development with a view towards World Cup qualification. “As I said before, we’re looking at our next AFCON and, if all goes well, also the 2026 World Cup. We have to look ahead, maybe one to three years, and build a squad for that,” Addo commented.

He further clarified his decision not to include Ayew, noting that younger players were selected to support the team’s future growth. “We did quite well last time, even though it was challenging. This focus on long-term development is why we chose not to invite André Ayew,” he concluded.

The Black Stars will be hosting Niger at the Accra Sports Stadium on November 18, 2024. in the second leg before Angola encounter to wrap up the qualifiers.

Read Full Story