Feature: Kwesi Appiah's to-do list before start of 2013 Nations Cup
Posted On Friday, 19th October 2012
Kwesi Appiah must do certain things before the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations
I can safely bet that each of you out there has written some form of exam or another right? Usually, it is a private affair and the outcome known to the immediate parties; the examinee and examiner.
The furthest the outcome may go are the examinee’s close family and friends.
In exceptional cases, the examinee may be rewarded nationally for distinguished performance or berated for poor performance. Like everyone else, Kwesi Appiah, coach of Ghana’s Black Stars would wish for the former.
So, it wasn’t surprising to find the media landscape awash with Appiah’s intentions and plans to end Ghana’s 30 plus year wait for a 5th Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) crown.
This was after Ghana eliminated Malawi to qualify for the 2013 edition to be held in South Africa come January 19 – February 10.
Seriously, how many of you can even recollect vividly Ghana lifting her last trophy in 1982? Not more than 5% I reckon.
One AFCON after the other we have hoped, been fired up only to be disappointed.
If you are one who doesn’t handle disappointments very well, you can be pardoned for joining the AMC.
No it is not a political party, it is a safe refuge and it stands for “Afraid Men’s Club”.
For majority of Ghanaians however, and Kwesi Appiah in particular, AMC membership is not an option.
Victory in South Africa rests heavily on Appiah’s shoulders to succeed where most foreign coaches have failed since 2002, when the last local coach Osam Doudu led the team.
That preparation is key cannot be overemphasised. It starts with a simple ‘to do list’; here is a sneak peek of what I think should definitely be on Appiah’s tablet:
Cease the chopping and changing
I heard Appiah on Radio giving reasons for calling different sets of players for almost all the matches he has been in charge. He mentioned that he wanted to create a competitive atmosphere while having at least 3 different options for every position.
Great point indeed. But I sincerely hope that chopping and changing of personnel ended with the Malawi game. Every potential championship winning team needs tactical and social cohesion.
I would think that Appiah has his coaching philosophy or a particular tactical strategy he wants to adopt as he maps out a winning formula.
That formula would however not be effective if the personnel do not have the requisite time to imbibe it together as a group.
Then again for the strategy to be functional, those players also need to develop a good rapport amongst themselves and with the technical and management team to form one cohesive unit.
Talent alone has never been enough; ask the Black Stars team of the nineties, what the lack of cohesion did to that highly talented team.
So, Mr Appiah, it’s been long since you have been chopping and changing personnel, now go on and stick them together.
Find fullbacks who can defend first and attack second
If finding a decent full back for the Black Stars was a reality show, it would definitely be one of the longest running ever and oh, surely the ratings would have long gone down. Why am I saying so?
Well, ask yourself, aren’t you just tired discussing the apparent lack of decent left full backs and lately right backs in the Black Stars?
It used to be that the Black Stars were lacking at left back since the days of Emmanuel Addoquaye Pappoe who improvised in that role in the lead up to the 2006 World Cup.
A seeming solution was found in Habib Mohammed but he drifted into the skies to be seen no more. The list of suitors has grown long ever since: Hans Sarpei, Rahim Ayew, Massahudu Alhassan, Nana Kwesi Asare, David Addy, Harrison Afful, Abdul Razak Nuhu!
I bet you are out of breadth already. That is how laborious it has been finding a decent left back. Highly surprising for a nation that considers itself a football nation with pedigree.
While Ghana struggled for a left back John Pantsil manned the right back efficiently until recently when lack of playing time and form saw him lose his position to Samuel Inkoom and Daniel Opare.
These 2 players did little to justify the confidence reposed in them; necessitating the recall of big brother Pantsil but the current full backs still do not inspire enough confidence.
I challenge the technical team to find a solution once and for all.
The Stars technical team need to either expand their lenses by giving local players like Richard Kissi Boateng a chance or converting players to undertake the primary duty of defending first.
Any other added attribute of being able to overlap and bomb down the wings in a flamboyant style can be an added bonus.
Ideally, if a regular full back is found, the better, but if scouting fails, then improvisation is another option. In the current set up, Jerry Akaminko can be shifted to handle the left back position; after all, he did so when he played for Heart of Lions.
Same can be done at the right position as well. At the 1992 AFCON, when it was called for, coach Otto Pfister shifted midfielder Stanley Aborah to right back and he efficiently took care of business.
To go another tournament without decent full backs would just be an indictment on the technical team and a situation borne out of pure laziness, because I cannot for all the fufu in kumasi believe that Ghana cannot find just 2 decent full backs.
Identify a distinct playing style
Have you noticed that when watching the Black Stars, you cannot particularly tell which distinct style of play Appiah employs?
Apart from the game versus Lesotho which saw the team attacking in bursts, other games have been patchy with goals being scored out of individual brilliance more than from team set plays.
Maybe the lack of a clear playing style is a function of the lack of consistency of the playing personnel in that the players haven’t had time to assimilate Appiah’s philosophy.
As expected that chopping and changing would cease, Appiah would have a set of players to work with and the team can then play to a recognisable set pattern.
When Milovan Rajevac coached the team, we all knew the team employed a defensive strategy, When Ratomir Dujkovic was in charge, Ghana attacked with the midfield as its driving force.
Which strategy is Appiah employing? I bet you cannot tell either. I am not saying this from a pundit or fan’s point of view, I am sure the players would welcome this clarity the most, so that they do not look lost, confused and all over the pitch the way they have been in the last couple of matches. Or is it that the players have been tactically indisciplined?
If they have, Appiah should be bold to show a strong set of teeth and bite hard to eschew any form of indiscipline that would disturb the rhythm of team tactically and psychologically.
By the time the 2013 AFCON kicks off, we would expect the team to show a distinct playing style woven around its strengths, and then we would know whether the Stars can compete with Africa’s best. Like we say in our local parlance; ‘Appiah, let us see your handwriting’.
Now, it is by no means an assurance that once Appiah checks the boxes on the list, Ghana would end its 30 year drought, however it would put the team in good stead and a lot closer so that touch wood, if Ghana fails, it would not be for lack of effort.
At this point I feel like playing an invigilator and saying to Appiah ‘You have 3 months to complete this test, start work now!’
niiayitey29@gmail.com
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There’s no doubt about that.he needs to cone up with some kind of strategy to let people know we cannot be taken for granted..
He is doing a great job so far. Great Coach!!!
Da man knows wat he is doin.a little faith wnt hurt
Richard Kissi Boateng is Ghana’s Gareth Bale he needs to be in the squad alongside David Addy to battle for the left back slot, come on coach open your eyes
IS KISSI BOATENG BETTER THAN NANA ASARE AND DAVID ADDY?
Good article by all standard.i did comment on this forum on our left and right back position somewhere last week.i’m happy that,its not me alone who sees this problem.For me Wakaso,Nana Akwasi and David Addy can perfectly solve the long time problematic left full back,if Akwasi Appiah will be fair and do away with favoristism and nepotism by imposing Afful on the team.On the right full back,Jerry Akaminko is the right person for that position.i keep on saying that,Paintsil for now is a liability to the stars.Hope AA can be bold and do the right thing for the betterment of us all.
I agree with you saba on this one.Very objective.
WAKASSO IS NOT A LEFT FULLBACK. HE IS A LEFT WINGER OR MIDFIELDER. AFFUL AND OPARE MUST PLAY THE RIGHT FULL BACK. PAINSTIL AND DEREK BOATENG MUST BE EXILED, AND NEVR COME BACK! I KEEP HEARING ABOUT KISSI BOATENG. IS HE BETTER THAN DAVID ADDY AND NANA ASARE?
WAKASO PLAYS BOTH POSITIONS FOR CLUB. INFACT HE USUALLY STARTS AS A LEFT BACK
foolish kantoose with a kind of a 2 week old infant. u say im an empty barrel? kwasia. why would anyone use a lftee wakasso as a left full back? WAKASSO HAS AN EYE FOR GOAL. HE TACJLES HARD IN MIDFIELD, MAKES ACCURATE PASSES AND CAN SCORE. IN YOUR WARPED MINDED OPINION KANTOOSE, SHOULDNT WAKASSO BE AN ATTACKING MIDFIELDER OR LEFT WINGER AT BEST/ THE ESPANYIL COACH DOSENT KNOW ANY BETTER AND DATS WHY HIS CLUB IS AT THE BOTTOM ECHELONS OF THE LEAGUE. IF HE KNEW ANY BETTER, HE WOULD PLAY WAKASSO AS A LEFT WINGER OR ATTACKING MIDFIELDER. WAKASSO IS A LIABILITY AS A LEFT BACK OR ANYWHERE ELSE OTHER THAN THE SPOTS I HAVE MENTIONED.
You FORGOT HOW TO BEAT ZAMBIA.which obviously the juju stars cant do
Zambia is doing well because of the coach, but how did you come to know this coach? It’s because of Ghana Renard came to Africa. You understand?
Secondly, your coach is not a Zambian and he can leave anytime he chooses.
Please, reason very well when comparing Zambia with Ghana.
yes indeed he is a great coach but, we need him to show up of his tactical form and therefore they can prove to us that this is a team that, they can fight for achievement.As this writer indicated in his pundit,as at now we dont know what exactly strategy he give to them on the pich ,so he must to come up of his expectation as a nation cup approach!
APPIAH REALLY NEEDS TO KNOW HIS FIRST SELECTION NOW AND KEEP THEM TOGETHER AND ON THE PLAYING FIELD FOR LONG BEFORE THE AFCON AND WORLD CUP. Social Cohesion and confidence is important. Thank you
Shit talk k3k3. U know nothin in football. Tribalistic idiot. Wat strategy did chealsea deploy to win champions league…hw mch is akwasi appiah paid,,,has he failed yet? Hate hm or luv him he wil deliver for GHANA. Akwasi God bless u!
Chelsea played ‘soak the pressure and catch them on the break’. Like the way Zambia played against Ghana and Ivory Coast. So the question remains… what style does AP play with BStars?
Great Article.. I hope he can read and understand it very well.. If not, someone please reiterate.
WELL SAID NII BUT THE PROBLEM ARE POINTED OUT BUT IS THE TEACHNICAL TEAM GOING TO ACCEPT IT.WE HAVE TO KNOW THAT TO CATCH A FISH YOU NEED A WORM.IHAVE BEEN SAYING OR WRITING BRING IN A CONSULTANT TO HELP COACH AA AND THE TECHNICAL TEAM, THERE IS SOMETHING LACKING TECHNICALLY WITHE BLACK STARS THEIR STYLE OF PLAY LACKS THE THREAT THE POSSES WHEN THE FOREIGN COACHES ARE WITH THEM OR IN CHARGE, LET’S GET COACH MILO BACK AS A CONSULTANT AND IT WOULD HELP AS BIG TIME IF WE REALLY WANT THE CUP AND PLAY AT THE WORLD CUP COME 2014. THE FUNDS ARE THERE AND SO MR AKWASI NYANTAKYIE AND HIS COMMITTEE SHOULD GIVE THIS A THOUGHT FOR THE GOOD OF OMAN GHANA. DUE TO OUR PLAYERS PLAYING OVERSEAS THE PLAYS CAN GET TO KNOW THEMSELVES VERY WELL BUT IT’S WELL.LET’S WORK ON IT VERY FAST ON THE RIGHT DIRECTION AND WITH GOD ON OUR SIDE THINGS WOULD CHANGE FOR THE BETTER.
HOW CAN GFA SUSPEND THE HAND THAT FEEDS THEM. THEY R SITTING HTERE LIKE LAME DUCKS ALWAYS COLLECTING BRIBES. WE ALL KNOW THAT OTI AKENTENG, APPIAH, ARE ALL ON DEDE’S PAYROLL. SO HOW CAN GFA EVEN DARE SUSPEND THE GUY. U SEE, SUCH BRIBERY, NTUAHO DOES NPT HAPEN IN PLACES LIKE FRANCE, ENGLAND, SPAIN ETC…ONLY IN USELESS 3RD WORLD NATIONS DO GROWN ASS MEN REQUEST BRIBES TO FIELD PLAYERS. IN GH/GFA MERIT DOES NOT MEAN ANYTHING. LOOK AT HOW GFA HAVE TREATED ABEYIE FOR INSTANCE BCOS HE SAYS HE WONT PAY…..DEDE, DONT DARE APOLOGISE TO THESE CLOWNS. THEY NEED TO BE HELD TO A HIGHER STANDARD. IF WE WANT GH/GBSTAR TO SUCCEED, GFA/COACH APPIAH MUST BE HELD TO A HIGHER STANDARD. LOOK AT HOW CAMEROON IS TODAY. THE FECAFOOT IS ALL ABOUT BRIBERY, CORRUPTION AND NTUAHO. TODAY, LOOK AT THEM.
Zambia Placed In Group C In AFCON 2013
CHAMPIONS Zambia are in Group C at the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations finals, while hosts South Africa are in Group A.
According to the procedure of drawing lots of the Africa Cup of Nations released by the Condeferation of African Football yesterday, South Africa and Zambia will respectively have letters A1 and C1 on the board.
“In conformity with the regulations of the competition, South Africa the host team shall be the top seeded team of Group A and Zambia the titleholders will be the top seeded team of Group C,” the procedure of the draw reads.
The draws will be conducted next Wednesday in Durban, South Africa.
Points are awarded for performances in previous three Africa Cup of Nations tournaments with seven for winners, five for runners-up, three for semi-finalists, two for quarter-finalists and one for teams eliminated in the first round.
Ghana and Ivory Coast are the other teams in Pot 1 and will be the top seeded teams of groups B and D.
“Stage 1 of the draw will be to do an integral draw to determine which of these two teams shall be awarded the letter B1 and which one will have the letter D1,” the procedure of the draw reads.
Ivory Coast finished runners-up to Zambia at this year’s tournament in Equatorial Guinea and Gabon while Ghana finished fourth after losing 0-2 to Mali in the third place playoff.
Pot Two has Angola, Mali Nigeria and Tunisia while Algeria, Burkina Faso, Morocco and Niger are in Pot Three.
Cape Verde, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia and Togo are in Pot Four.
Meanwhile, VICTOR KUMWENDA reports that Democratic Republic of Congo coach Claude Le Roy has tipped Zambia to be among the favourites to win the 2013 Africa Cup.
Le Roy told France 24.com that despite the Chipoloppolo’s unimpressive performance in the two-legged qualifier against Uganda they are still the team to beat at the finals in South Africa.
Zambia beat Uganda 9-8 on penalties last Saturday after tying 1-1 on aggregate after two legs.
Le Roy, who is Chipolopolo coach Herve Renard’s mentor, said the African champions are now a much stronger side and the depth in their squad makes them to be among the favourites.
He, however, said it will not be easy for Zambia to repeat the splendid performance exhibited in Equatorial Guinea and Gabon.
Le Roy said Didier Drogba-led Ivory Coast’s golden generation has the last chance to win the elusive continental trophy.
Zambia beat Ivory Coast 8-7 to win the maiden African title on February 12, 2012 in Libreville.
It simply means that we will play the teams that will be drawn in Pot D at the quarter Final stage. This will either be Ivory Coast or Ghana.
The South Africans have started manipulating the situation, They will avoid Zambia as much as possible. They have distanced Zambia so much that if we have to meet them somehow it has to be at the Semi-final stage. They manipulated the 1996 AFCON draws so much that they ensured we never met them. They also ensured that we were shunted from one venue to another, from a high attitude to a low attitude, then back to a high attitude and so on and so forth. The flights were so complicated that we hardly had any time to rest before we played and lost to Tunisia in the semi-final.
I can’t wait to see who we may meet in the quarters, but it is already clear that it may be Ghana or Ivory Coast or any members from their pots.
I prefer we meet Ghana instead of CIV in the quarter finals…. i think u know y!
U should think about making it past the first round, b4 making a choice of who u want to meet.
sometimes l don’t get THAT nii ayitey.So you think Akwasi Appiah and Maxwell Konadu DOESN’T know any of this cheap article.
To say MUST DO LIST ,is very arrogant.It is easy to sit in front of a computer and write any rubbish.
l love to know which team he’s played for and his coaching credentials.Talk is cheap.
Where was NII AYITEY when the GFA was looking for a manager.
Funny enough in Ghana any idiot who has not kick tomatoes before could easily ply as football expert.
why cnt we turn our Caps Lock key off wen typin? it makes reading quite difficult. GHFUO, plz am talkin to u n others who type in block letters.
PLEASE PLEASE COACH DROP ASAMOAH GYAN.No bribery, but open you eyes and find a suitable striker
ofui! Asamoah Gyan y3 good paa!!
CAF please give us Ghana in the nxt round!
@Ghanafou think big,i guess u dont know nothing about Ghana football!u are just an attention seeker!who told u Wakaso is not a left full back?wakaso is a natural left full back if u care to know.just check how he start his football carer.He’s a utility player,who can play in the nr.6,3 and 11 position just like nana akwasi who can play 11 and the nr.3 position effectively.
dont waste your breath on this guy GHFUO. When it comes to soccer he is an Empty barrel
.
REAL, I ONLY BECAME AWARE OF WAKASSO I BELIEVE LAST SEASONWHEN HE STARTED SCORING SPECTACULAR GOALS WITH HIS LEFT FOOT FROM 20 YARDS AWAY. WHERE IS WAKASSO MORE PROLIFIC AS A SOCCER PLAYER? THE 6, 11 OR 3? OBVIUOSLY, WAKASSO IS MORE POTENT AS AN 11 OR A 6. HE TACKLES, GIVES ACCURATE PASSES, CAN SHOOT AND CAN ALSO SCORE. WAT USE IS HE AS A LEFT BACK? TELL ME? THE AIM OF THE GAME IS TO SCORE. SO PUT WAKASSO IN A POSITION WHERE HE CAN BE A THREAT TO THE OPPONENT AND HELP YOUR TEAM WIN THE BALL GAME. THIS ESPANYOL COACH IS AN IDIOT AND DATS WHY THE CLUB IS STRUGGLING AT THE BOTTOM ECHELONS OF LA LIGA. GET IT. U THIS FUCKING DWEEB KANTOOSE THINK IM AN ATTENTION SEEKER? I WISH GHSCCRNET WERE PAYING ME FOR MY IDEAS N THIS SITE U FOOL. ATTENTION NEVER FED ME? IDIOT
We cannot tell which style of play Akwesi Appiah will employ because he has none and furthermore, he has no clue what of what the hell he is doing. He is just buying time to collect $20,000 dollars for the next 24 months, netting him close to a whopping $480,000 dollars which will make him a very rich man in Ghana for doing practically nothing.
We are being taken for a ride that such an incompetent guy can be given an opportunity to collect such an amount of money from the Ghana government when majority of our citizens are poor, and destitutes.
Ghana’s priorities are misplaced.
@mojahahaden-are you that stupid.Are you a peasant or leaving in the stone age.
How much was Plavi paid per-month.
If Ghana can afford $1.7million a month,they would go for GUARDIOLA .
Even your own idol(marcel) who has never coached kindergatens before would not take that pea-nut AKWASI APPIAH takes monthly in a day.
Zambians are whatever, let thy eyes be cleansed of sand so ye shall see the light of day. Are you comparing Akwesi Appiah to Desailly and Plavi? I hope not. Its not so much about whether one has a coaching experience or not, it’s more so to do with who one could surround himself with to help him coach. Just look at his staff, the so called technical team, anyone among-st them that could actually coach that could help him when we are down and need some adjustment? Hell no and that is why we lost to Zambia.
We better take the lead all the time and defend or else we will never see the WC again. If he is smart, he will find Sillas Tetteh, beg him and add him to his technical staff. For what he is doing right now, he should be paid $5000/month. He is totally lost.
@moja–whatever–Lets give the job to your IDOL AND GOD-MARCEL,COACH NO EXPERIENCE and get him to surround himself with GUARDIOLA,ALEX FURGUSON,HIDDINK AND MOURHINO.
Why IS Sillas Tetteh still unemployed if he is any good.At least l know what happen in his last post.
Do you have a problem with what Akwasi Appiah is EARNING OR WHAT?
You never complained when he was earning $3000 a month whilst Plavi was on $50.000.l smell jealousy.
Kwarasey
Opare Vorsah john Boye Akaminko
(BADU)Acquaye Annan
Warkaso Kwadwo Asamoah Dede Ayew
Jordan Ayew:Yiadom
Asamoah Gyan:Warris
Kwarasey
Opare………Vorsah …..john Boye…… Akaminko
BADU)Acquaye….Annan
Warkaso………..Kwadwo Asamoah………Dede Ayew
Jordan Ayew:Yiadom
Asamoah Gyan:Warris
Where do you put Inkoomin dat formation?