Ghana coach James Kwesi Appiah has been speaking exclusively to TV3's Michael Oti-Adjei about recent events surrounding the Black Stars after German coach Klaus Toppmoeller was linked with the post.
The Black Stars coach reveals that some management members doubted his abilities after the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations. He also talks about what has made him successful so far and wades into the Kevin-Prince Boateng saga as well as the problems in Egypt ahead of the second-leg of the playoffs.
Below is the full interview:
Is this game [the qualifying playoffs against Egypt, who Ghana have beaten 6-1 in the first leg] over; is this a ticket to the world cup sealed now?
I told the players that we had just finished 45 minutes of a 90 minute game because it is a home and away encounter and once you have not finished the away game you can’t celebrate. The return leg is the most important game now. We need to go in as if you are down by a goal.
You say you did not set out to prove anyone wrong but you will admit there were a lot of doubts about your abilities especially after the Cup of Nations.
Yes you are right, after the [2013] Cup of Nations there were doubts. We had a meeting and some of the management members, after we lost to Zambia and I was asked whether I thought we could plough back.
I marked a spot in the meeting room that before we meet Zambia at home we will be ahead of Zambia. I knew that looking at the team after the nations cup and the blend of young and experienced players we had an advantage. I always had belief. I knew automatically we were going to the end.
What are your thoughts on the where the return leg will be played?
Our players are professional and I don’t think anything can intimidate them if the security situation is right. The other side is that if Egypt loses, they may attack their players and we may get involved. It is a situation that I hope is sorted soon.
There are issues you have control over though like Kevin-Prince Boateng. There are those fed up with him. Are you one of those?
We invited Kevin for the Zambia game and he complained of pains in the knee so he was could not play. He could not turn up for Egypt too because he says was injured.
I have always believed Ghana needs its best players and Kevin being Ghanaian is one of them. I personally believe he has to be given another chance but as to whether he will come or not is another case. We have not decided whether to call him up for the return leg yet but I always believe Ghana must have the best players available for every game and he is one of them.
Your former teammate Tony Yeboah feels KP is not particularly interested in playing, that Ghana is better off moving on without him.
It’s a difficult situation because for instance you are invited for the national team and you say you are injured it is difficult for me to say you are lying so I can only invite him. From my end I can only call him up again.
How tough has it been for you to be your own man in this job?
Since I took over they have never ever interfered. They have given me full support. I have always believed that when you are given a job and you don’t make decisions, you are worthless. They know I am the type who can say take your job when they try to interfere. Thankfully we have understood each other.
There have been talk of a technically director to oversee you and specifically Klaus Toppmöller has been mentioned. Are you aware of that?
I normally don't care about what goes on outside my remit. My concentration is on the Egypt game. Nobody has told me anything about any technical director. I signed a contract which ends after the World Cup so nothing has been discussed.
The GFA president has said the only way you will get technical assistance presumably from someone of a better technical standing is if you ask for it. Do you need any such assistance?
It depends on how you term it. For instance I can need some guys with good technical ability to scout or monitor some teams for me. That is something that can be done and I have always been doing that so that is not a big deal. As for a technical director I don’t know what role he will be playing. Ghana has a technical director already so I don’t know where that is coming from.
You are not there yet but how much will it mean to you in a professional sense to manage Ghana at the World Cup?
Every coach will love he coaches at the highest level and in football the world cup is that competition. I will be proud as a Ghanaian to be the coach of Ghana at the world cup. I t is something a lot of Ghanaian coaches will be interested in.
Do you see yourself as an example of what local coaches can do given the right level of support here?
I have always had the belief that Ghanaian coaches are very competent. It is just an issue of confidence and support. Ghanaian coaches are not given proper incentives.
Take the junior teams for instance. Many of them are promised contracts verbally but they never get it. It becomes difficult. Once Ghanaian coaches are put in charge and given all the incentives to work with they always get it right.
You have always done a good combination of young and experienced players. Is that something you are looking to continue going forward?
From now till June is a long way. I’ve always had a belief that we should have three teams of equal abilities because that creates healthy competition.
Take our back four against Egypt for instance. If we had not encouraged others in the past we would have been in trouble. But we had prepared players well for the role. I have always said I will combine experience and youth. You also need a good bench and giving everyone a chance is a good way of doing that.
You seem ice cool on the bench when other coaches scream on the touchline throughout a game. How do you manage that?
Personally a week to a game I have sleepless nights. I wake up around 1 or 2 and keep thinking. “Will this guy be ok? How will the opponent react and for that reason sleeping becomes difficult. But once the first ball is kicked on matchday, I become very very normal. Maybe it is because I have played before. What you wish is the players will play your role to perfection.