JAMES KWASI APPIAH; NOW OR NEVER! 

James Kwasi Appiah has been unveiled as the new senior national football team, the Black Stars coach, together with his backroom staff. The 56 year old is making a return to the team he left after the Brazil 2014 World Cup fiasco. However, the big question is; what does the future hold for the Black Stars?

Blamed directly and/or indirectly for the confusion and embarrassing situation in the Ghana camp at the 2014 World Cup, what new is he bringing to the table? How different would he handle affairs? There are several questions boggling the mind of observers and stakeholders of Ghana football.

There is no doubt about the technical and tactical abilities of “Mayele” as he’s affectionately called. His achievements as a coach are quite evident and impressive. However, with his perceived soft approach to issues, there are genuine concerns Appiah may not be able to have a firm control over the ego of the players he’s supposed to manage as it happened in the past. Again, he must be able to stand up to the imposition of players on him – as has been rumoured - by some FA officials.

Ghana currently trail the Pharaohs of Egypt by 5 points in Group E in the Russia 2018 World Cup qualifiers. A huge burden and a herculean task is therefore on Appiah to surmount. He’s had considerable backing from the government, media, and the public who felt disappointed at the inability of Avram Grant to end Ghana’s more than 35-years wait for a fifth title at the Africa Cup of Nations hence appears the ONLY one capable enough at this point to get the team to qualify for the 2018 World Cup in Russia and win the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon.

With Appiah’s appointment, there would also be opportunities for local talents as well as the grooming of youthful players as he did in the past. Basis for proponents of the affable coach to have their way ahead of Frenchman Willy Sagnol and Belgian Hugo Broos in the search for a new coach.

The changes in the backroom staff even though is welcome, may not impact directly on the team. Rather, coach it is Appiah’s decisions that would have a telling effect on the output of the team. It is therefore incumbent on him to be utterly circumspect on some of his judgements. He should be able to be assertive and unyielding from foreign influences; the buck must stop with him.

Sports in general, and football in particular, has with time grown to be the unifying factor of Ghanaians so a lot would be expected of the former Black Stars captain to bring the team to an appreciable and competitive level. A lot people lost faith in the Black Stars after the brouhaha in Brazil, but with the right strokes, the love for the team would definitely be reignited.

COMPOSITION OF THE NEW BLACK STARS TECHNICAL TEAM 

HEAD COACH: James Kwasi Appiah

ASSISTANT 1: Ibrahim Anyars Tanko

ASSISTANT 2: Maxwell Konadu

TECHNICAL COORDINATOR: Stephen Appiah

GOALKEEPERS’ TRAINER: Richard Kingson

TEAM DOCTOR: Chris Adomako

VIDEO ANALYST: Michael Okyere

EQUIPMENT/ WELFARE OFFICER: Ismail Hamidu 

By: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamfi,  GBCONLINE