Is a done deal for Akwesi Appiah but he must reject the offer - Abbey Pobih

James Akwesi Appiah

Football administrator, Mr. Abbey Pobih, has suggested that, debate surrounding the coaching job or replacement for Avram Grant should seize with immediate effect.

The Black Stars are searching a replacement for the immediate past coach Avram Grant, but James Akwesi Appiah has become favourite among the short listed persons for the top job.

However, Mr. Pobih is of the view that, the ongoing debate is a ‘’concert party’’ as has charged the media to halt the discussions.

‘’I will advice that we should not waste time discussing the coaching recruitment process. It is a concert party and waste of time.

Both the Ghana Football Association (GFA) and our politicians are joking with Ghanaians.’’ When asked why he made that comment, Mr. Pobih said, if politicians are not rooks, they will not be going about scouting for a coach for the Black Stars.

In his view, it looks as if the GFA and government have settled on Akwesi Appiah hence it is a waste of time for us to continue discussing the matter. ‘’It looks as if it has been decided by the GFA and government that they want Akwesi Appiah. So why waste time inviting people for interviews? That is why I am saying that it is a concert party.’'

Mr. Pobih said the focus should rather be why the Ministry of Youth and Sports had had 14 ministers reshuffled over the past years.

The development of football and winning of laurels for the national team, he noted would only be achieved if we discuss the politics affecting the development of football in Ghana.

The political influence in our coaching and management of the national team, he argued has stagnated our success.

The challenges confronting the national team including indiscipline, corruption if not solved, will not augur well for the team and even if Mourinho is appointed to coach the stars, we will go nowhere.

He said, ‘’until the cockroaches are cleared from the FA, we will not succeed. They have over stayed their purpose. They should be all sacked. We can do that. We have to implement the Brazil Commission’s report.

We wasted money in setting up that committee yet, we have failed to implement the report.

Are we serious as a country? Mr. Pobih advised Akwesi Appiah to recall what he went through in the past and advice himself.

‘’The FA want to use Akwesi Appiah. If I am a friend and a brother, I will advise him to reject the job.

But if he wants to take the job, he should sign an agreement with the FA to pay him in full the number of years they want him to manage the team and the payment should be quoted in dollars.’