Ghana Coach Chris Hughton Fired After Team’s AFCON Exit

Chris Hughton was fired on Tuesday as coach of Ghana after their elimination from the Africa Cup of Nations was confirmed, the country’s football association said in a statement.

Ghana finished third in Group B at the tournament in the Ivory Coast after a 2-2 draw with Mozambique on Monday and any outside hope they had of a place in the last 16 as one of the four best third-placed finishers ended on Tuesday with results in Groups C and D.

“The Ghana Football Association wishes to announce that Chris Hughton has been relieved of his duties as head coach of the senior national team with immediate effect. The Executive Council has also taken a decision to dissolve the technical team of the Black Stars,” said a statement.

“The Ghana Football Association will in the coming days provide a roadmap on the future direction of the Black Stars,” it added.

Hughton, whose father hailed from Ghana, had taken over as coach in March, having earlier served as technical advisor to the team at the World Cup in Qatar.

The 65-year-old former manager of Brighton & Hove Albion and Newcastle United won four of his 13 matches in charge and had already been under pressure going into the Cup of Nations finals when Ghana lost away to the small Comoros Islands in a World Cup qualifier in November.

At the Cup of Nations, they lost their opening game to the Cape Verde Islands, after which an angry fan tried to attack him, and then drew with Egypt and Mozambique for a paltry two-point haul.

Hughton was on a list of possible candidates for the vacant Ireland manager’s job.

Hughton, who won 53 caps as a fullback for Ireland, is the second coaching casualty at the Cup of Nations after Gambia boss Tom Saintfiet quit earlier on Tuesday when his side finished bottom of Group C.