Pace-Setter Otto Addo hoping for more Black Coaches in Germany

Former Ghana international Otto Addo is Bundesliga club Borussia Dortmund’s assistant manager.

The German-born Ghanaian has taken to coaching since hanging his boots. After spells with FC Nordsjaelland, Hamburg and Borussia Moenchengladbach, he has now settled in at Dortmund, a club he once played.

Otto-Addo’s role with Dortmund comes at a time where professional football in Germany has seen very few Black coaches at the highest level.

He is one of the most high-profile Black coaches in the game that continues to suffer with a lack of representation at the highest level.

While change might be slow, Addo sees a lot of potential in the current crop of players to one day make the transition from the pitch into the dugout.

“In Germany, I think it’s a little bit different because we don’t have so many Black former players who have the [UEFA] pro license,” he explained to CNN in an interview.

“I think it will change in Germany… it’s the next generations, you know, [David] Alaba kind of players or [Jerome] Boateng, when they stop,” added Addo, referring to Bayern Munich’s star players.

“There are a lot of Black players now playing, and so I think maybe in 10 years, five years, when they stop then we will see how it is here.