Coach Kwesi Appiah reckons Tottenham Hotspur’s midfielder, Victor Wanyama’s absence from the African Cup of Nations qualifier this afternoon might complicate things for the Black Stars.
The London club failed to allow the former Celtic midfielder to join his country for the qualifier against Ghana, calling the Harambee Star’s skipper’s fitness and the reason for disallowing him.
Coach Kwesi Appiah made this revelation after Ghana’s final training section at the Kasarani Stadium, the game venue, on Friday afternoon – Anthony Akumu is likely to replace Wanyama and knowing the potential of the replacement, the two have worked together at Al-Khartoum, Appiah said:
“No actually, because with him [Wanyama], at least I know him but with another person there, I don’t know what to expect.
“African coaches should move from that aspect of sticking to one particular team for years. The more you do that the more you destroy the team for the future. It is important to keep changing and bring in new ones to give them an opportunity,” the tactician offered.
Coach Kwesi Appiah is coming up against French tactician Sebastian Migne for the third time in about a year. Migne frustrated Ghana’s 2018 World Cup bid when he led Congo to snatch a famous 0-0 draw in Kumasi but saw his side walloped in the reverse match few days later.
Coming up against Migne now with the East Africans, Appiah is showing signs of picking some lessons from the past.
“I believe football has come of age and for that reason you cannot underrate anyone,” he said.
“Kenya has a good team and it’s important that playing against them we prepare well. They have supporters and everything behind them but we are coming to give them a good game.
“I have watched some few games and I think Kenya have a good team. It’s a matter of giving the coaches and players support and I believe they can do much better,” Appiah added.
The battle between Kenya and Ghana kicks off at 1300 GMT on Saturday.
