Ghana Football Needs Ex-Players, Not English Speakers: Stephen Appiah

Former Ghana captain Stephen Appiah has called for a change in the leadership of Ghana’s football.

He believes that football administration in the country should be led by former players and legends, rather than those who can speak English fluently.

Appiah expressed his frustration in a recent interview that many former players do not get the opportunity to be involved in football administration.

According to him, it is not about one’s ability to speak English or use complex grammar, but rather their insights and understanding of the game.

“Legends and former players are not getting the chance around football administration. I have learned something, that football is run by footballers. It is not the grammar or English that you speak,” he said on Sompa FM.

Appiah, who led Ghana to their first World Cup in 2006, retired from football in 2012, and since then has been a member of the Black Stars backroom staff for the 2014 World Cup, as well as a member of the Black Stars management committee until recently.

Moreover, he emphasized that it is about insights and understanding of the game, rather than language proficiency.

He cited his own experience playing in Italy, where he was able to understand the coach who spoke Italian despite not speaking the language himself.

Appiah hopes that one day, a former player or legend will be given the opportunity to lead Ghana’s football. He believes that this change will help to elevate the standard of the game in the country.

“I hope that one day, not me Stephen Appiah necessarily, but I hope one day; one of us will get to lead and we will all support,” he said.

Appiah’s call for former players to lead Ghana’s football comes at a time when the country’s football is facing a lot of challenges, including financial mismanagement and corruption allegations.

It remains to be seen whether Appiah’s call for change will be heeded, but it is clear that many former players and football fans in Ghana share his sentiment that former players and legends should be given a greater role in the administration of the country’s football.