Sports Analyst Jerome Otchere has raised concerns about the role assigned to former Black Stars captain Stephen Appiah in the newly reconstituted Black Stars Management Committee.
Appiah, appointed as Vice Chairman of the committee, will serve as a liaison for player relations, supporting Chairman Dr. Randy Abbey.
This marks Appiah’s second stint on the committee, following his appointment in 2022, during which he reportedly did not attend any meetings.
Other members of the committee include Mr. Samuel Aboabire, Chairman of the Greater Accra Regional Football Association and GFA Executive Council member, and Mr. Moses Armah, President of Medeama Sporting Club. Both will handle operations and matchday activities while ensuring the interests of sponsors, partners, and collaborators are met.
Additionally, Mr. Richard Nsenkyire, President of FC Samartex 1996, the 2023/2024 Ghana Premier League champions, has been assigned special duties.
Speaking to Citi Sports on Monday, January 20, 2025, Otchere suggested that Appiah’s inclusion in the committee might be a move to appease Ghanaians who have long advocated for the former player to take up an official role.
He also questioned the clarity of Otto Addo’s position, arguing that Addo should be the one acting as the intermediary between the Black Stars Management Committee and the technical team.
If you take, for instance, the role that Stephen Appiah is going to play, they say he’s going to be as a link between the technical team or is it the FA and the players.
Then what’s the job of the coach? What’s the job of the team manager? What’s the job of the technical team?
Doesn’t the technical team structure as a component that accommodate player issues and is able to deal with player issues?
Do you need a management committee member to come down?
Yes, he’s an ex-footballer and a good one at that. So he comes down from this office as a management committee member to manage player relations.
Exactly what is the job of the coach? The Black stars coach, our premium national team.
If the coach cannot maintain good relations with players, then how is he going to coach them?
How is he going to coach their players? You don’t need a link. This is a creation of the FA just to satisfy interest that some of us struggling to understand. So I am not for the whole idea of having management committees, but I’m not the one running the FA. I’m not running the Black Stars either.
