Former Ghana international Emmanuel Agyemang Badu has backed Otto Addo, insisting the Black Stars head coach knows his job and must be given the space to work despite growing criticism.

Ghana struggled to overcome Mali in Matchday 8 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, needing a scrappy second-half strike from Alexander Djiku to seal a narrow win and extend their lead at the top of Group I with 19 points – three ahead of second-placed Madagascar.

Speaking to Radio Gold, Agyemang Badu highlighted Addo’s tactical awareness and consistency in squad selection as key strengths.

“He [Otto Addo] knows the kind of players he needs in every game. Coaches are very smart; they know the kind of players they need in every aspect of the game. So if in one or two games some local players are not in, it’s not a problem at all,” Badu said.

“There is consistency in the selection. The national team is different because you only meet three days before a game, so if you keep changing the players there will be imbalance. But in our past games, there has been consistency — the players know the terrain, the culture, themselves, and the demands of our fans.”

Ghana, four-time African champions, are chasing a fifth FIFA World Cup appearance after featuring in 2006, 2010, 2014, and 2022. The Black Stars missed out in 2018 before returning in Qatar, where they exited in the group stage.

Addo’s men face two decisive fixtures in October — an away clash against the Central African Republic before wrapping up their campaign at home to Comoros.