Former Black Stars Management Committee member, Ernest Thompson, has disclosed that Kwesi Appiah once considered dropping Andre Ayew, Jordan Ayew, and Mubarak Wakaso from his squad due to ongoing issues with the players.
Thompson shared that Appiah was frustrated with the trio and initially decided to exclude them. However, the intervention of the management committee played a crucial role in resolving the situation.
In an interview with Joy Sports, the former Hearts of Oak Board Secretary recounted the tense moment when Appiah expressed his frustrations and his plan to drop the players.
“At one point, Kwasi Appiah had problems with Andre Ayew, Jordan Ayew, and Wakaso. You remember that incident. Go back to history. He [Kwasi Appiah] wanted to drop them. He said he had dropped them. I’m telling you the truth now,” Mr. Thompson said.
He explained that the management committee, in response, advised Appiah to handle the matter differently.
“We [the then Black Stars management committee] said, look, because of Jordan, Andre, and particularly their father Abedi [Pele], who is an icon, if you had problems with them in the team, we plead with you to go and see Abedi [Pele] and speak to him because you can’t treat Abedi’s children that way. Let the father know, and see if he can intervene.”
Thompson added that a third-party intervention, including a conversation with the players, helped resolve the conflict.
“It took Alhaji Hearts, whom we called to also speak to the boys about Kwasi Appiah’s concerns. Later on, Kwasi Appiah agreed, brought them back, and they came to save the team. So a lot of things happen at the management committee level [of the Black Stars]. You can check all these with George Afriyie.”
He emphasized that the management committee’s efforts were often instrumental in addressing such issues, provided they stayed within their scope.
“The management team does good work, provided they stay within their purview,” he added.
In light of the Black Stars’ failure to qualify for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), the management committee has been dissolved, and Otto Addo’s future as head coach will be decided on Wednesday.