• About Us
  • Privacy Policy
Monday, January 30, 2023
Citi Sports Online
  • Home
  • News
  • Football
    • Premier League
    • Local Football
  • Ghana Premier League
  • Livescores
  • Sports Panorama
  • Videos
  • World Cup
  • AFCON
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Football
    • Premier League
    • Local Football
  • Ghana Premier League
  • Livescores
  • Sports Panorama
  • Videos
  • World Cup
  • AFCON
No Result
View All Result
Citi Sports Online
No Result
View All Result

Criticism without merit: Ghanaians vs Kwesi Appiah

Fentuo Tahiru by Fentuo Tahiru
July 3, 2019
Reading Time: 5 mins read
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare via Whatsapp

The Black Stars of Ghana have just qualified to the Round of 16 of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations. 2-0 victory over Guinea Bissau in Suez and top of Group F, unbeaten in three matches.

“People always talk when things don’t seem to be going the way they want, but I’ve always believed in this team,” head coach Kwesi Appiah said at the post match press conference. But only he believed his own words. Not many Ghanaians, going into this evening’s game especially, believed Ghana would qualify top of the group. Rightly so. After all, with no win in their opening 2 matches, qualifying at all would be a miracle.

But this is Appiah’s team. He knows how to move his pieces around his chess board. After a poor first half, he switched things up and Ghana’s game began to function, like an axle in between wheels. Kwesi Appiah inspired that second half performance with his changes. But he will never get credit for it. Questions are however being asked on why he doesn’t start with the system he finished the game with.

“Each game has its own characteristics and requires different approaches at different times,” Appiah said in response to whether an Afriyie Acquah and Mubarak Wakaso double pivot will be employed for future games.

He is the coach, he makes the decisions. And so far, Appiah’s choices have guided Ghana to the top of a difficult Group F, something his counterparts; Gernot Rohr of Nigeria, Aliou Cisse of Senegal and Ibrahim Kamara of Cote d’Ivoire have failed to do. Some of those countries have arguably better players, or players in better form.

This deserves commendation; instead, Appiah has remained the most vilified man in Ghana in the last few days.

The vitriol reached crecsendo after the draw against Cameroon. When I put up a quote from Appiah on tactics deployed against the defending champions, the amount of abuse in the comment section forced me to mute the conversation. It was unimaginably disrespectful and appallingly ignominious.

While it is permissible to criticize the decision of head coaches everywhere, what has often been thrown in the direction of the former Ghana captain is anything but criticism. It’s mostly been sheer abuse, communicated with asperity of prohibitive degrees.

When you handle a national team like the Black Stars, criticism is often collateral damage that comes with it. The ability to receive it is almost a requirement for the job. And I think Appiah understands that and takes it all in good faith.

But a quantum of the criticism, if we can call it that, Appiah has received has been unwarranted, unjustified and quite frankly baseless. In the midst of it all, people have been quick to join the bandwagon, downplaying every single decision of Appiah, even though some of his moves have been genius.

Take the 2-2 draw against Benin for example. With a man sent off very early in the second half, Appiah’s team re-organized, kept their shape and still looked the more dangerous of the two teams. In the 35 degree heat in Ismailia, you don’t need Einstein to tell you that the Ghanaian players were bound to run out of steam as they exerted more energy than their opponents.

So on the 90th minute, Appiah having realized his players were gassed, brought on Afriyie Acquah to help contain the late Benin onslaught. After all, with 4 minutes of injury time to play, playing to get a point was the wisest thing to do. Why risk everything in injury time with tired players and have a point stolen away with a last minute sucker punch?

But no, he was lambasted for being a coward; for playing for a draw instead of throwing everything forward in search of a win. That sort of stupid bravery would have been costly. Appiah did the right thing and Ghana got a point. Under the circumstances, the joke is really on anyone who thought Appiah was tactically outdone against Benin.

Step in Ghana vs Cameroon, Ghana’s best game in the competition so far. Anybody with a tactical eye would have noticed the massive improvement from the Benin game. Ghana struggled against Benin’s 3-4-3/5-4-1 formation by not moving the ball quickly enough and not creating enough width. Appiah had watched the Cameroonians who usually deployed a similar system. In fact, Cameroon coach Clarence Seedorf hinted in his pre-match press conference that they would look to keep it tight. And that’s exactly what he did, packing the midfield and defense in a two block defensive set up.

What does Appiah do? He plays Baba Rahman at left back to create more width. This was justified as the Chelsea man whipped in great crosses that could have resulted in goals had the connection from Jordan Ayew been better. Execution is down to the players, not the coach. Appiah’s job ends when the sequence results in a chance. It’s the players’ job to finish off the opportunity. Ghana created chances. They just didn’t finish them off. That’s not Appiah’s fault.

Admittedly, the deployment of Kwadwo Asamoah on the left side of midfield created problems as the two players, at times, crowded out each others’ spaces. But defensively, it was a necessary move; one that ensured Ghana wasn’t hurt by Christian Bassagog. Bassagog has caused damage to Ghana in the past. In 2017, he ran Ghana’s left back, Frank Acheampong rugged.

Didi Dramani, who scouted the Cameroonians, later admitted to me, that Asamoah executed his job superlatively. And Kwesi Appiah reaffirmed that in a later interview.

And it’s not just Kwadwo Asamoah. Tactically, Ghana were better organized, more cohesive against Cameroon than they were against Benin.

Here is a fantastic twitter thread on Ghana’s tactical organisation against Cameroon. Go through that and see if you still find Appiah dumb or clueless.

Despite drawing 0-0, Ghana's game v Cameroon represented a welcome improvement over their clash with Benin. The system seemed to function relatively well, defensively there was a clear plan & it even seemed there had been work done on set pieces (THREAD STARTS HERE)

— Scott Geelan (@Scott_Geelan) June 30, 2019

Thomas Partey, who was generally criticized for doing “nothing” against Cameroon, put in a much better shift in that game than he did against Benin. Admittedly, Partey is having a below par tournament by his own standards. But the reason we have come to expect so much from him in the national team, is because of Kwesi Appiah, who helped him thrive in Ghana colors.

Compare his heat maps for the two games:

When Kwabena Owusu came off the bench to put in a creditable shift, instead of praising Appiah for introducing a chap many in Ghana had never heard off, he was berated for bringing him on late. Yes, I was one of those. But sometimes, that’s the best time to throw in a new player, with adrenaline pumping and not a lot of time to ponder the occasion. And it very nearly paid off. In the next few years, Kwabena might become a mainstay in the Black Stars team. And everyone would remember the day Appiah gave him his debut. That would be hindsight credit to Appiah. He will not be needing it then. He needs that now.

Unless you are intentionally refusing to see it, Kwesi Appiah is securing the future of the Black Stars with his choice of call ups. Just like he did during his first spell with the Black Stars when he introduced the likes of Christian Atsu and Mubarak Wakaso to the team, Appiah is slowly building a new Black Stars core – Samuel Owusu for Christian Atsu, Kasim Nuhu for Jonathan Mensah, Joseph Aidoo for John Boye. Appiah could be sacked in a few months, but there will be no doubt he would have introduced a new crop of players to the national team.

Avram Grant was in charge for two AFCON spells. He left the same team behind; aging and stale.

When Appiah said at the pre-match press conference ahead of the Cameroon game that it was important to also consider the future of the team when making player selections, he was called clueless. But on the face of the evidence, he was spot on and deserves accolades for his visionary position.

Appiah has been blamed for every miss, offside and misplaced pass. It’s all Kwesi Appiah’s fault as far as some Ghanaians are concerned.

You can criticize the coach. Criticism is a fundamental facet of modern society. But when you do criticize, make it decorous and constructive. Make sure you’ve thought deep about what you’re about to say or tweet or post, and ask yourself – is it really Appiah’s fault?

Share1373TweetSend
Previous Post

#AFCONonCiti: Bommel praises Morocco’s mental strength after three straight wins

Next Post

#AFCONonCiti: Gueye asks Senegal to look forward after securing progress

Related Posts

Mukwala celebrates goal against Kotoku Royals Photo Courtesy: Kumasi Asante Kotoko
Ghana Premier League

betPawa Premier League Week 14; Hearts, Kotoko score huge wins

January 30, 2023
Black Stars

SWAG Sports Personality of the Year Award serves as big motivation- Mohammed Kudus

January 29, 2023
SWAG President Kwabena Yeboah
Black Stars

We have to do a sober introspection as a football nation- Kwabena Yeboah

January 29, 2023
Football

FA Cup: Brighton send holders Liverpool out of competition

January 29, 2023
Soumana Hainikoye Boubacar (14) celebrates goal against Ghana at 2022 CHAN Photo Courtesy: CAF
Local Football

Ghana 0-2 Niger: Conceding early demoralized us, we didn’t deserve to lose- Annor Walker

January 29, 2023
Local Football

Everything that God does is good-Annor Walker states after Ghana loses to Niger

January 29, 2023
Football

CHAN 2022: Black Galaxies eliminated by Niger

January 29, 2023
Black Stars

Thomas Partey to have MRI scan after Arsenal’s FA Cup defeat at Man City

January 28, 2023
Load More
Next Post

#AFCONonCiti: Gueye asks Senegal to look forward after securing progress

Top Stories

GFA’s Director of Competitions passes on

Here’s why Hearts of Oak announced new Barnieh deal just before Zurich FC transfer

Ex-GFA Chairman, Alhaji Jawula passes on at age 74

Imoro Ibrahim: A victim of CHAN’s problematic eligibility criteria

RSS Citi Podcasts

  • Sports Panorama, Friday, 27th January, 2023 January 27, 2023 Citi97.3
  • Eyewitness News, Friday, 27th January, 2023 January 27, 2023 Citi97.3
  • Citi Breakfast Show, Friday, 27th January, 2023 January 27, 2023 Citi97.3
  • Eyewitness News, Thursday, 26th January, 2023 January 26, 2023 Citi97.3
  • Citi Breakfast Show, Thursday, 26th January, 2023 January 26, 2023 Citi97.3
  • Effective Living Series Day 16: Where do I invest my money now? January 26, 2023 Citi97.3
  • Eyewitness News, Wednesday, 25th January, 2023 January 25, 2023 Citi97.3
  • Citi Breakfast Show, Wednesday, 25th January, 2023 January 25, 2023 Citi97.3
  • Effective Living Series Day 15: Insurance Fundamentals January 25, 2023 Citi97.3
  • Citi Trends, Tuesday, 24th January, 2023 January 24, 2023 Citi97.3
Citi Sports Online

© 2019 Citi Sports Online

  • Home
  • News
  • Football
  • Ghana Premier League
  • Livescores
  • Sports Panorama
  • Videos
  • World Cup
  • AFCON

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Football
    • Premier League
    • Local Football
  • Ghana Premier League
  • Livescores
  • Sports Panorama
  • Videos
  • World Cup
  • AFCON

© 2019 Citi Sports Online

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
Citi Sports Cookie Policy
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept All”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent.
Cookie SettingsAccept All
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT