The Former Black Stars Captain, Stephen “Tornado” Appiah has revealed that football is run by the main characters after retirement rather than the technocrats.
Speaking about the current state of Football in Ghana, Stephen Appiah emphasized that one thing he has noticed after retirement is that Football is run by footballers, but the legends are not allowed to contribute to the development of the game.
The ex-Juventus and Fenerbahce star believe former players and legends of the country should be involved in the running of the game.
“It’s sad because of the contacts that we have and the people we can pick phones and call, when I mention names, you will be shocked, at times we don’t get the chance, I mean the legends, former players, we don’t get the chance. I have learnt something, football is run by footballers, it is not about English or grammar. It is all about wisdom”.
He cited instances where he never understood Italian, but because of his knowledge, I was able to interpret the coach’s actions.
” When I got to Italy, I didn’t understand the language but because of the understanding of the game, I was able to interpret the coach’s words and actions “- he added
Appiah, who captained the Black Stars at the 2006 and 2010 World Cup tournaments, expressed his willingness to serve and his belief that other former players shared his passion for the game.
“Some of us are very humble…We all want to help”
Appiah’s leadership credentials are well established, having captained both the Black Stars and the Italian club Juventus during his playing career.
Since retiring, he has been active in promoting youth development and grassroots football in Ghana and has mentored younger players.
Story by George Opoku Boateng – Ahotoronline
