Ghana Football Association dissolve all technical teams and set Black Stars coach Akwesi Appiah on the exit
The Ghana Football Association have parted ways with head coach James Akwesi Appiah following the inability of the two parties to reach a new contract extension.
Akwesi Appiah signed a two year contract in 2017 to complete his second coming as Black Stars coach. This meant Appiah will see his two year stay with the Black Stars expire ending of 2019 but had the chances of being put on extension provided he does a good work during his running days.
However, Appiah contract with the GFA ended 31st December 2019, and the GFA never renewed the former player’s contract which means Appiah failed to impress the GFA within his two year period.
Although there is no single official announcement of Appiah’s departure, the GFA utilized the opportunity of dissolving technical teams of all its national team including that of the Black Stars to show the Black Stars coach the exit door.
In press release by the GFA on Thursday evening, the statement did not exclude the technical team of the senior national team from the action taken, which means technical teams for Black Stars and Black Meteors led by Akwesi Appiah and Ibrahim Tanko- who also failed to qualify Ghana to the next Olympics Games have all been sacked respectively.
“The Ghana Football Association (GFA) has dissolved the technical teams of all national teams with immediate effect”, GFA Communication department.
“The decision affects both male and female national teams.”
“The GFA extends its appreciation to all coaches and members of the respective national teams for their contributions to our teams and Ghana football.”
“We wish them all the best in their endeavors.”
The decision to dissolve technical teams of all national teams and not excluding the Black Stars from the development has sparked a mixed argument in Ghana’s football fraternity, with many fans believing that Akwesi Appiah did a good work for assembling a new and young squad which is hoping for the future.
On the other hand, a section of supporters still have the memories of Ghana’s poor campaign during the 2019 AFCON in Egypt where the Stars only reached 1/16 of the competition, and have backed the GFA’s decision for not reaching a new deal with Appiah.
Akwesi Appiah also failed to qualify Ghana to the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia placing third to leaders Egypt and Uganda in second in Group E. The former Black Stars defender meanwhile has led Ghana to the top of Group C of the ongoing 2021 AFCON qualifiers.
Assistant manager Charles Kwablan Akonnor who guided Asante Kotoko to the group stages of last year’s CAF Confederation Cup is tasked to coach Black Stars on the interim.
