Ace sports journalist, Dan Kwaku Yeboah, has revealed that Ghana Football Association president, Kurt Okraku, sacked Kwasi Appiah in 2019 on the account of using ‘unknown’ players.
Dan Kwaku Yeboah narrated that the players referred to as ‘unknown’ included now Black Stars player Mohammed Kudus.
The former spokesperson for the Normalization Committee further disclosed that the government opted against Kwasi Appiah’s sacking, but Kurt Okraku insisted on letting go of the manager.
“When Kurt Okraku took over from the Normalization Committee, Kwasi Appiah had won two games on the trot, including beating South Africa in Cape Coast.
“That was the match where Kudus and others made their debut. According to Kwasi Appiah, Kurt Okraku had called him and warned him that he would be sacked if he lost because he was using unknown players. Kwasi Appiah won the game but still got sacked. At some point, the president wanted Kwasi Appiah to stay, but Kurt insisted on sacking him,” he said.
Kwasi Appiah’s contract ran out in January 2020, and the GFA refused to renew his deal.
Dan Kwaku Yeboah’s assertion was to highlight perceived mismanagement by Kurt Okraku since taking over from the Normalization Committee as GFA president.
Kurt has overseen the disastrous trajectory of the Black Stars since assuming office. Ghana have not won a game in two AFCONs under his tenure and has suffered group-stage exits in both.
The Black Stars are now at risk of not qualifying for the next edition of the AFCON for the first time since 2004.
They have not won any of their four games in the qualifiers, losing two and drawing two.
Watch Dan Kwaku Yeboah’s make revelations about Kwasi Appiah’s sacking from 2:44:
EE/EK