Soccer News of Thursday, 18 June 2015

Source: starrfmonline.com

Trophy drought with Black Stars my biggest regret - Appiah

Former Ghana captain, Stephen Appiah Former Ghana captain, Stephen Appiah

Former Ghana captain Stephen Appiah has said his biggest regret in his career is the fact that he has never won a major trophy with the Black Stars.

Appiah retired from active football in January and will have a testimonial game on June 27 in honour of his illustrious career. He has already invited former presidents J.J. Rawlings and J.A. Kufuor to the game.

Appiah was in Kumasi on Wednesday to invite Otumfuor Osei Tutu II to his testimonial game. Speaking at Manhyia, he said it will be sacrilegious if he did not invite the Ashanti King, considering how influential Kumasi has been in the success story of the Black Stars.

The success story Appiah alluded to is Ghana’s qualification to its maiden World Cup appearance in 2006. Kumasi hosted most of the Stars’ crucial encounters, including victories over Burkina Faso and Uganda.

Appiah would go on to lead the Black Stars to the Round of 16 in its debut appearance in Germany. The “Tornado” feels all of those achievements with the Black Stars would have been amazing if he capped them off with some silverware for the national team.

“I’ve enjoyed my career. But one thing that makes me sad when I think about it is the fact that I’ve not won any trophy with the Black Stars. But I don’t want to be selfish because it’s not every player that gets the chance to play for the national team or play at the World Cup,” the former Juventus midfielder said.

“I don’t have any regrets in my career except not winning any trophy with the national team. It makes me sad when I think about it,” he said.

Appiah’s testimonial will see the likes of Roberto Baggio, Pavel Nedved, George Boateng, Nwakwo Kanu, J.J. Okocha, George Weah, Sulley Muntari, Peter Ofori Quaye and many other international stars take on the Black Stars team at the Accra Sports Stadium on June 27.