By Ameenu Shardow
Akwasi Appiah has shrugged off any thoughts which sought to point out his lack of authority required to succeed as a Black Stars coach.
The 51-year-old was officially presented to the media on Tuesday as the new Ghana coach tasked with qualifying and winning the 2013 Nations Cup and making a semifinal berth at the 2014 World Cup.
Critics however say the ex Black Stars captain is not assertive enough to manage the big egos of the current crop – a perceived deficiency Appiah says is not representative of his personality.
“I think people are right to say that because I personally believe none of you really know me, not even the GFA,†he said.
“The Kwasi Appiah off the pitch is totally different from the Kwasi Appiah on the job so I like the way I am being underrated.â€
Appiah’s immediate brief will be to guide the Black Stars through two 2014 World Cup qualifiers in June against Lesotho and reigning African champions Zambia – the same side which prevented Ghana from making its second successive Nations Cup finals.