Dreams FC coach Abdul Karim Zito has praised James Kwesi Appiah following his nomination for the CAF Coach of the Year award.
He has been acknowledged for his impressive work with the Sudan national team since taking over last year, leading them through 12 matches with a record of 7 wins, 4 draws, and only 1 loss.
He is competing for the award against notable coaches, including Emerse Fae of Ivory Coast, who guided his team to victory in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.
Other nominees include Pedro Goncalves (Angola), Brahima Traore (Burkina Faso), Marcel Koller (Al Ahly), Hugo Broos (South Africa), Jose Gomez (Zamalek), Sebastien Desabre (DR Congo), Florent Ibenge (Al Hilal), and Chiquinho Conde (Mozambique).
In an interview with Kessben FM, Zito expressed his delight for Appiah, highlighting his significant contributions to the Sudan team. He remarked, “I’m very happy for my Kwesi Appiah.
He is doing very well for the Sudan national team. Before his appointment, no one knew Sudan but now, they are competing.”
The Falcons of Jediane are close to qualifying for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, recently achieving a crucial 2-0 victory over Ghana in Libya, followed by a goalless draw in Accra.
Currently, Sudan ranks second in Group F with seven points, just three behind Angola, and needs only one more draw to secure qualification with two matches left.
Additionally, Sudan leads their group in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, holding ten points, two ahead of Senegal after four games. The CAF Awards ceremony is scheduled to take place in Morocco in mid-December.
Kwesi Appiah