Otto Addo defends decision to play Yirenkyi at right-back in Ghana's heavy defeat to Austria‎

‎Otto Addo has defended his decision to deploy Caleb Yirenkyi at right-back, citing a lack of specialist options in the position following Ghana’s heavy defeat to Austria.

‎The Black Stars coach came under scrutiny after Yirenkyi struggled in the unfamiliar defensive role during the 5-1 loss, with many calling for the player to return to his natural position in midfield.

‎However, Addo insisted the move was driven by necessity rather than tactical preference, as Ghana continue to grapple with limited options on the right side of defence.

“In his club he has played as a defensive midfielder. We are having problems at that very position [right-back],” Addo explained after the match.

‎“Caleb jumped into that position. We have a lot of midfielders and our problem is that side. Now we are happy to get Marvin; he’s new to the system so we have to see.”

‎The coach was referring to the recent arrival of Marvin Senaya, who is expected to provide competition for the right-back spot but is still adapting to the team’s system.

“At the moment, we didn’t have enough options on the right side and we have a lot of options in midfield, that is why he predominantly plays there,” Addo added.

Attention now shifts to Ghana’s next friendly against Germany national football team on Monday, where Addo will be under pressure to address defensive weaknesses and deliver a more cohesive performance.