Samuel Osei Kuffour has attributed Ghana’s poor display at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations to Kwesi Appiah’s decision to change the captain of the team.
With less than two months to the start of the tournament in Egypt, coach Appiah named Andre Ayew as the new captain of the team while Asamoah Gyan was made General captain of the team.
This decision by the former Al Khartoum manager forced striker Gyan to briefly end his international career, before rescinding following a conversation with President Nana Akufo-Addo.
Many have attributed the Black Stars poor performance at the tournament to that decision, as the four-time winners failed to get close to winning the trophy.
Mr Kuffour was a member of the Normalisation Committee (NC), which had been placed in charge of the day-to-day running of the Ghana Football Association, at the time.
According to the Bayern Munich defender, the whole drama could have been avoided had coach Appiah waited till after the tournament to effect the changes.
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“It was a bit disturbing for the NC. I could see that some people were hit somewhere. You could see that Asamoah [Gyan] was really hurt about the whole situation,” he said on Joy FM.
“It goes all the way to the President [Akufo-Addo] so NC had become limited. NC had nothing more to say about it. That was why the President came in and spoke to the two players with the coach and the [sports] ministry. In my view, it was a little bit hectic. Why couldn’t we wait until after the tournament then we make the change to the captaincy?
“That period, Kwasi Appiah in my view should have probably had a second thought about the whole issue before making that decision [changing captains] and I think he [Asamoah Gyan] shouldn’t have said he wanted to retire. He should have calmed down. When you say those things, people may take it for granted.
“I would just leave it as it is [If I were Kwesi Appiah], Asamoah Gyan is the captain. If he doesn’t play, Andre is the captain. Andre is like the second captain. He will wear the armband.
“That will seal the case. For bringing Andre in and Asamoah out with the atmosphere and all that. They can laugh but within their hearts, how well would [they collaborate]?”
Ghana suffered a humiliation after they were kicked out of the tournament at the Round of 16.
Black Stars haven’t won the Afcon trophy since 1982.
