with Kwasi Appiahhead coach

By Raymond Yeboah

The chances of Black Stars qualifying to the 2014 FIFA World Cup looks an impossible task if Kwasi Appiah still remains at the helm of the team's technical staff, I’ve told you.

The occurrence of selection mistakes caused the Black Stars’ humiliating exit at the just ended South Africa 2013 Nations Cup. These are serious facts that must be taken to consideration if we seriously want to qualify to the Mundial.

Ghana's group in the World Cup qualifiers is led by former African champions, Zambia, the very team that resisted Ghana's chances of getting to the finals of the last year’s edition of the AfCON. Kwasi Appiah was then an assistant coach to Milovan when we tasted defeat. Zambia once again beat Ghana last year when the World Cup qualifiers resumed and guess who was a fully appointed coach in charge of that loss? The same coach in the person of Kwasi Appiah.

I thought he would learn. He was in the same assistant position role in the last years AfCON tournament when we lost the bronze medal to Mali by two goals to nil. Mali once again dominated Ghana by the same two goals difference margin when he fully took over the team as head coach.

Looking at this scenario, the GFA must be convinced that the man doesn't learn and improve. He has a habit of being beaten continuously by same opponents so Zambia can once again beat Ghana in the World Cup qualifiers if he stays in charge. His losses are always at the critical moment and at where it matters most. The two semi final losses at the Africa Nations’ Cup and third place-off matches tells me that he can let Ghana down when the decider comes between Ghana and Zambia for the World Cup slot.

Again, if a coach of Kwasi Appiah’s calibre could not boldly enough substitute an inefficient players like Asamoah Gyan when the going gets tough, it means that such mistake would always be repeated as far as he is in charge. He lacks the technical abilities in player selection and substitution.

Placing Awal Mohammed in front of the back four, thus number 6 position in the Mali game also confirms my above mentioned assessment.

His demeanour on the touchline when things are not going well also de-motivated the players the more. Instead of posting an encouraging facial gesture, he seemed to have been crying all the time.

I suggest Kwasi Appiah be put aside for his deputy, Maxwell Konadu to temporally take over for the sake of the World Cup qualifiers because l can’t see Kwasi Appiah sending Ghana to Brazil 2014. He has demonstrated enough already that he can’t do the job.

A word to the wise is…..