It was all pomp and pageantry three years ago when the Ghana Football Association decided to bring back coach Kwasi Appiah to take up the coaching role of the Ghana Senior National Team, the Black Stars.
Kwasi Appiah left his post as manager of Sudanese club, Al Khartoum, to replace former coach Avram Grant.
Just like the biblical story of the prodigal son, the coach’s arrival was marked with a rousing hero’s welcome from members of the GFA and the media who were busy trying to capture a glimpse of Appiah’s arrival.
Addressing the media on that fruitful day, Appiah said, “actually, I am very excited because I never expected so many people here at the airport. I really appreciate that”.
“I always believe the voice of the people is always the voice of God. I will take this opportunity to thank the President of the Republic of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo, the FA and every Ghanaian for giving me the chance to coach the national team again. I will do the best that I can but I can't do it without the support of Ghanaians. For me to succeed, I need the support of every Ghanaian”.
“It always great to be back home. This is my motherland. Every Ghanaian will love to be at home and make sure he does what he can to help his nation”.
After months of search for a new coach to replace the Israeli coach, the GFA settled for an indigenous coach in spite of numerous interests from expatriates.
Coach Avram Grant had set the standard finishing 2nd and 4th at two AFCON tournaments and was on the verge of leading the team to qualify to a third consecutive World Cup tournament before his departure.
Despite the high stake set by his predecessor, there was hope for coach Appiah to ink his name in history as the third Ghanaian after CK Gyamfi and Osam Duodu to win the African trophy.
In a well-attended unveiling ceremony full of hope, coach Kwasi Appiah declared his intentions of building a formidable squad and the probability of recalling two suspended players, KP Boateng and Muntari.
The GFA announced Appiah’s backroom staff in the name of Ibrahim Tanko, Maxwell Konadu, Stephen Appiah, Richard Kingson among others.
In fact, there was more hope for the future as the Black Stars thumped Ethiopia 5-0 in Appiah’s first game in charge.
However, things took a twist and Ghana missed out on qualifying to the 2018 World Cup, the coach lost his locker room following issues with the Ayew brothers leaving camp with the excuse of injuries. The former Kotoko coach had another gaff with captain Asamoah Gyan prior to the 2019 AFCON and took the President to intervene in the matter.
Appiah’s second term ended in tears as the Black Stars performed abysmally at the 2019 AFCON with the team being unable to progress out of the round of 16.
In what was supposed to be a second fruitful marriage ended rather in a divorce which has seen the two parties at loggerheads with each other in the media. Appiah has since returned properties belonging to the GFA and is currently demanding wages from his last three months as coach of the Black Stars.
