Sudan’s Assistant Coach Criticizes GFA’s Decision to Part Ways with Kwesi Appiah in 2019
In a recent interview, Ignatius Osei Fosu, Sudan’s Assistant Coach, expressed his disappointment with the Ghana Football Association (GFA) for their decision to dismiss Kwesi Appiah in 2019. Fosu, known for his candid opinions in African football, described the move as unnecessary and questioned the timing and rationale behind it.
Reflecting on the events leading up to Appiah’s departure, Fosu remarked, “The standard that Kwesi Appiah had established for the Black Stars after the 2019 AFCON in Egypt was below his usual level. If they had let him go right after the tournament, I would have understood as a supporter. But after he secured two crucial qualifying wins, the decision to sack him seemed unjustified.”
Fosu highlighted the inconsistency in GFA’s decision-making process, emphasizing that letting go of a coach who was showing signs of improvement only hindered the team’s progress.
“It’s counterproductive to wait for a coach to achieve success and then dismiss him,” Fosu continued. “In my opinion, the decision to sack Kwesi Appiah in 2019 was premature. Looking at the coaches who have followed him, none have surpassed his performance, indicating that the decision was not well thought out.”
The conversation surrounding Ghanaian football has been dominated by debates on the trajectory of the Black Stars under various coaching regimes. Kwesi Appiah, a seasoned coach who had two successful tenures with the team, was let go in 2019 despite guiding Ghana to qualification for the 2021 AFCON through critical victories.
Fosu’s remarks shed light on the complexities faced by African football associations in managing national teams and underscore the importance of establishing clear, consistent policies that prioritize long-term growth over short-term reactions.
