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Former Black Stars trainer James Kwesi Appiah has revealed that he had people from the management team who strongly opposed his idea of introducing the likes of Kudus Mohammed, Baba Iddrisu and Majeed Ashimeru among others into the senior men's team.
Speaking in an interview with Ghanaian journalist, Dan Kweku Yeboah, the former Black Stars coach said his job was on the line for his decision to introduce young players into the team ahead of their AFCON qualifiers against South Africa.
According to Appiah, some management members decided against the presence of young players for an important tie and threatened his job should results turn out against Ghana's favor.
“Not only [Mohammed] Kudus but some other young players. Some people felt the young players didn’t deserve the Black Stars call-up. But for me, I had watched them and I believed them. I always told my players don’t prove to me, prove to Ghanaians. If you do well that’s for your own good."
“My job was on the line because I was warned that if I lost the match I will be sacked. I didn’t mind because I knew I was doing what was good for the country,” Coach Kwesi Appiah shared in an interview with Dan Kwaku Yeboah TV.
Mohammed Kudus who was then with FC Nordsjaelland justified himself in that important clash against South Africa. Kudus was introduced in the second half for Alfred Duncan and went on to score in the team’s 2-0 win over South Africa.
Appiah scouted Kudus during his days with FC Nordsjaelland and poached him quickly into the Black Stars set-up.
Zakaria Ali Ayishatu
