Chris Hughton, Son Of A Ghanaian Postman, Set To Become The Next Coach Of The Ghana Black Stars

In 2017, he was hailed as first Ghanaian coach in the English Premier League (EPL) by Ghanaian media when he was appointed as coach of Brighton & Hove Albion F.C, and now Chris Hughton  is reported to soon be announced as the new coach of the Ghana National team, the Black Stars.

It was always going to be Chris Hughton. Sensible sporting appointment too.

Your next Black Stars boss. pic.twitter.com/u6XvI2MV6H

— Michael Oti Adjei (@OtiAdjei) February 4, 2022

This follows a meeting on Friday between the GFA and Sports Ministry in which both parties agreed to name Hughton as Milovan Rajevac’s successor. Earlier in the week, Hughton met President Nana Akufo-Addo at the Jubilee House, where he was assured of the job. All was set for Otto Addo to take over the top job on an interim basis after meeting GFA President Kurt Okraku and Tony Baffoe in Germany early this week.

Update: Ghana 🇬🇭

Chris Hughton will be named as coach of the Black Stars following a final meeting between the Sports Ministry and the GFA in the last hour.

Both parties reach compromise and the former Brighton & Hove will begin work soon. #AFCONwithGary pic.twitter.com/QXqdTa0Sbc

— Gary Al-Smith (@garyalsmith) February 4, 2022

Chris Hughton to become Black Stars Head Coach is 99% done per @Muftawu_Nabila

The former Brighton manager turned down a Black Stars advisory role offered to him. pic.twitter.com/auoJAuYCaK

— Yaw Ampofo Jr (@Yaw_Ampofo_) February 4, 2022

So who is Chris Hughton?

Christopher William Gerard Hughton was born on 11 December 1958 in Forest Gate, then part of Essex, now part of London, to a Ghanaian postman, Willie Hughton, and his Irish wife Christine née Bourke. Having an African background Chris qualified to play for the Republic of Ireland as the son of an Irish mother and a Ghanaian father, becoming the first mixed-race player to represent the country. He played 53 matches for the Irish National team.

He began his football career with Tottenham Hotspur as a left back and made his debut against Manchester United. As a member of the Tottenham’s 1980’s class, he won both the 1981 FA Cup and the 1982 FA Cup, the 1984 UEFA Cup and was runner-up in the 1982 League Cup and the 1987 FA Cup. Chris Hughton later made a switch to West Ham United where he helped them qualify to Division Two then moved to Brentford before hanging his boots.

On 31 December 2014, Hughton was announced as the new man in charge of Championship side Brighton & Hove Albion on a three-and-a-half-year contract. Following an impressive season, he extended his contract to 2020, before architecting Brighton’s automatic promotion to the 2017–18 Premier League after a 2–1 win at home to Wigan. Prior to the Brighton & Hove Albion job, Chris had worked with Newcastle United, Tottenham Hotspurs, Birmingham City, Norwich City. Under the leadership of Chris Hughton, Brighton & Hove Albion sealed promotion to the Premier League for this season after increasing their lead at the top of the Championship to seven points with a 2-1 win over Wigan Athletic at a jubilant Amex Stadium.

The 63-year old has been out of work since his sacking by Nottingham Forest in September. The Ghana job would represent Hughton’s return to international football for the first time since he left the FAI alongside Brian Kerr in 2005.