Kwasi Appiah opens up about Brazil World Cup fiasco in new book

Black Stars coach, James Kwasi Appiah has promised to reveal the never heard of details of what transpired with the Black Stars in what is now generally referred to as the infamous Brazil 2014 debacle.

Appiah, who was coach of the side during the tournament, has taken the unusual step of chronicling his experiences in a book which is set to be released in December this year.

Among many things, Coach Appiah is expected to give a vivid account of his journey as a footballer in both the domestic league in Ghana and his rise to become the captain of both Kumasi Asante Kotoko and the Black Stars of Ghana.

Even before then, he will give readers an insight of his days at Opoku Ware Senior High School and how he turned his passion into a profession.

The 400-page book will also detail the road to Ghana’s last AFCON triumph in 1982, of which Appiah was a member of.

The book titled “Leaders Don’t Have to Yell,” with a subtitle “National Team Coach on Leading High-Performing Teams” got social media buzzing when the cover page and back page went viral on Thursday, November 21, 2019.

It would appear that while there are many compelling contents to look forward to in the book, the happenings in Brazil seem to get the biggest traction.

Appiah in the introduction of the book, says he is aware that a lot of people have questions about his time as a footballer and coach and thus he hopes this book will answer all lingering inquires and curiosities that people have about his life and times with the senior national team.

“Very few people have had the opportunity to walk the path that my life has taken. As a result, I have seen things that only a few people have seen; I have had experiences that only a few people have had; and I have perspectives that only a few people have. Until now, the stories about the things I have seen, the experiences I have had and my perspectives on issues have been shared with only a relatively small group of people.

I have learned from my victories and my defeats. I have learned in secure times and in uncertain times. I have learned from the praise and the appreciation, and I have also learned from the resistance and the criticisms. Above all, I have learned how to live with and work with people, and how to lead people gracefully through normal and difficult times.

While my stories and perspectives are mainly from the world of football, I hope that the lessons and the inspiration they provide will be useful to footballers, coaches, and administrators, as well as to the fans and those who have little or no interest in football.”

Kwasi Appiah is a man who divides opinion in Ghana. While he goes into the history books as the only black man and Ghanaian to have qualified the Black Stars to the men’s FIFA World Cup (2014), there are those who believe he has done little to improve the national team despite having many opportunities to do so.

He is currently in his second tenure as the Black Stars coach with his contract due to expire in December. While he has been pushing for a contract extension, he knows it won’t be a given especially after a disastrous 2019 Africa Cup of Nations campaign.

In an excerpt of his yet to be released book, Appiah admits that talent alone isn’t enough even for a coach of his caliber.

“It is true that talent alone cannot make anyone successful in most areas of life. Effort is necessary and the discipline to continue, even when things get tough, is very important”

The book’s foreword is written by journalist and SWAG president Kwabena Yeboah.

The book will be launched with events in Kumasi, Sunyani and Accra in December. A form for media and general inquiries about the book is available at the book’s website, www.CoachKwasiAppiahBook.com.