President of the Ghana Football Association, Kurt Okraku says the decision to part ways with Black Stars head coach Otto Addo was taken in the best interest of the country, with just 72 days remaining before the FIFA World Cup.

Addo was relieved of his duties Monday following a series of disappointing results in recent international friendlies, including a 5:1 loss to Austria, followed by a 2:1 loss to Germany, both games being warm-up preparatory friendlies for the World Cup, prompting the FA’s Executive Committee to review the team’s direction ahead of the tournament.

Speaking to 3Sports, Okraku explained that the decision came after careful deliberation and reflection on the team’s recent performances.

“I've seen the last four or five games that we have played. I've seen the group, I've seen the executive committee discuss the games that we have played, and I've also heard about our shared vision for the World Cup. And I thought that it was time for us to look at another direction for our common vision,” he said.

Okraku added that leadership sometimes requires setting aside personal opinions in favour of collective decisions.

“I think that when leading the team, you may have your strong opinions about issues, but there are moments that you need to listen to the team for the greater good of our country. And at this moment, we thought it's Ghana first, and we have to go in a different direction,” he added.

The Ghana FA is now expected to begin the search for a new head coach to lead the Black Stars into the World Cup.