Former Deputy Youth and Sports Minister, Joseph Yamin, has dared former Black Stars coach, Kwesi Appiah after he alleged that former President John Mahama got him sacked after the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
In the 59-year-old’s book titled ‘Leaders Don’t Have To Yell’, Coach Appiah disclosed that Mr Mahama informed former Ghana Football Association president, Kwesi Nyantakyi to sack the former Al Khartoum manager after Ghana’s abysmal display at the World Cup.
The team picked just a point from three games while the country was subjected to international ridicule after money was airlifted to pay the players.
“To anyone who was objectively looking at the facts of the circumstances surrounding Brazil 2014, it was obvious that my termination was an attempt by the powers-that-be to shift blame away from themselves,” the former Black Stars coach wrote.
“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,” he said.
However, speaking to Nhyira FM, Mr Yamin expressed his disappointment about the revelation made in the book, adding that coach Appiah had the total support of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
“If Coach Kwesi Appiah wants to play politics, some of us will have no option than to speak about how we dealt with him and the support we gave him. It’s very unfortunate he’s towing this line.
“I would have been disappointed if I was able to show up at Coach James Kwesi Appiah’s book launch. I am really disappointed in him after reading his book. I’m surprised.
“Kwesi Appiah had all the support he needed during the NDC time. It took me one hour each on the phone for Andre Ayew and Jordan Ayew to accept to render an apology to him and I want him to dare me on this,” he added.
The book, launched last Friday, has nuggets the coach considers key for leadership in general, not just for football specifically.
Coach Appiah was reappointed in 2017 and worked for two and a half years.