Former Black Stars management committee member Ernest Thompson has claimed that internal conflict within the team has intensified after Ghana's failure to qualify for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).

In an interview with Joy Sports, Thompson revealed that the issue of captaincy has divided the squad, with two factions forming around Jordan Ayew and Mohammed Kudus.

Since Otto Addo took over as coach in March 2024, there have been multiple changes to the captaincy.

Initially, Thomas Partey was appointed as captain, replacing Andre Ayew.

However, when Partey was unavailable, Addo bypassed Jordan Ayew and handed the armband to Kudus, before later returning it to Jordan Ayew. This constant reshuffling of leadership has reportedly fueled tensions within the team.

Thompson stated, "That team you're calling the Black Stars is not a team; it is a group of individuals who are very conflicted.

There's so much conflict in that team. Kurt [Okraku] and the rest should take responsibility for keeping things to themselves."

He further emphasized the division within the team, saying, "There's spiritualism in that team; there's conflict in that team. They only come and stand on the pitch as if they are together.

It's not a football team we have there; it's a group of individuals who are highly conflicted."

Thompson pointed to the recent absences of key players as a symptom of the discord, questioning why some players, including Djiku and others, have refused to play when the captaincy is given to Jordan Ayew but are available when Kudus is in charge.

He suggested that the true reason for their unavailability is not injuries, but rather the division over the captaincy issue.

With Otto Addo's future now under scrutiny, the Ghana Football Association (GFA) is expected to review his position in the coming days.

The internal strife within the team has added further complexity to the situation, leaving the GFA with difficult decisions to make.