Sports News of Tuesday, 5 March 2013

Source: ghanasoccernet

Opoku Afriyie makes u-turn over Black Stars selection allegations

Former team manager of the Black Stars Opoku Afriyie has denied accusing Ghana FA officials of meddling in the selection of coach Akwasi Appiah.

Afriyie is captured on tape as saying: “The coach is not left to do things his way. Ghana FA officials influence selection.

“They do it to the foreign coaches so how much more a local coach like Akwasi Appiah.

“Coach Appiah finds it very difficult to call up Samuel Inkoom for instance because some officials just don’t want him to be called.”

But the ex Asante Kotoko player has beat an incredible retreat by saying he never made such comments.

“I never said officials make selection for the Black Stars coach,” Afriyie said in his latest interview.

“How could I have made such comments? My words have been twisted.”

Afriyie is unlikely to go scot free with these contrasting comments which certainly impugns the credibility of the Black Stars coach and Ghana FA officials.

Akwasi Appiah has maintained since his appointment last year that he takes all decisions surrounding team selection.

But doubts have now been raised with these comments made by the ex ‘insider’ who was with the Black Stars for almost a decade.