Kwesi Appiah has revealed former President John Mahama played a huge role in getting him fired from his role as Black Stars coach in 2014 after the world cup fiasco.
The 59-year-old wrote in his book “Leaders don’t have to yell” that Mahama asked then Ghana Football Association Kwesi Appiah to sack him following the country’s disgraceful showing at the World Cup in Brazil.
Ghana picked up just a point and were subjected to international ridicule when bonuses were airlifted to the players.
“Kwesi Nyantakyi called me to his office that day and informed me that he had been asked by the President of the nation to relieve me of my duties. When decisions about the national team staff became that heavily-politicized, it was very clear to me that the political machine was flexing its muscles to make me a scapegoat”.
Appiah said he was left puzzled by the decision as the Sports Minister whose actions and inactions he believes caused the disgrace was reassigned.
“The Minister for Youth and Sports who should bear the ultimate responsibility for the money issue that was at the heart of the Brazil problem was reassigned to another job in the President’s office but I was rather fired”.
Appiah further stated that a friend who is his legal representative advised him to pursue the matter in court but he opted against as he was not willing to be drawn into any legal tussle with the state.
“Considering the order for my firing was to have come from the president, that made it a fight I was not interested in”.
“My lawyer and secondary school classmate Godfred Graham whom I conferred with regarding the termination of my appointment, was convinced that I had a strong case for further legal action. Even though I agreed with Graham’s position, I chose to close that chapter in order to move”.
Kwesi Appiah was reappointed in 2017 and served for two-and-half years.
His contract expired last month and has been replaced by Charles Kwabla Akonnor.
