The Sports Minister has defended the decision to part ways with Otto Addo before the FIFA World Cup.

He insisted Ghana could not afford to head into the tournament relying on hope after a string of disappointing friendly results.

The Black Stars’ coaching change remains one of the most debated decisions surrounding Ghana’s World Cup campaign.

Otto Addo, who guided the team through qualification, was replaced before the tournament, with Carlos Queiroz taking charge as Ghana sought to improve its prospects on football’s biggest stage.

Speaking on Joy News’ PM Express on Tuesday, the Minister rejected suggestions that Ghana should have retained Otto Addo despite the poor run of results before the World Cup.

Asked by host Evans Mensah whether, with hindsight, Ghana should simply have kept Otto Addo, the Minister responded: “No.”

“If you look at the losses that we were suffering in all your friendlies post the qualifications. If you just couldn’t trust only in God, then it means we’re going to the World Cup trusting only in God. No, I don’t think so at all.”

He argued that the performances under new coach Carlos Queiroz suggested the decision had merit, even though the coach had limited time to prepare the team before the tournament.

“If you watch the strategy of the new coach, Carlos, and you looked at our friendlies that we came against Wales, and our performance against Panama, and our performance against England, and even against Croatia, you could see clearly that given much more time, a lot more could have been.”

The Minister said the improvements were particularly evident in Ghana’s defensive organisation.

“It was simply defensively.”

When Evans Mensah suggested that Ghana’s approach amounted to “packing the bus,” the Minister defended the team's tactical style.

“Well, it was also part of the game, and we were stringing passes.”

The comments reopen debate over one of Ghana’s most controversial football decisions in recent years.

Otto Addo had successfully steered the Black Stars through a difficult qualification campaign, but concerns over the team’s performances in preparatory matches ultimately led to a change on the bench before the World Cup.

The Minister maintained that, based on the results and performances at the time, replacing the coach was the right decision, arguing that the team needed a different tactical direction rather than relying on optimism alone ahead of the global tournament.