Missing Laryea Kingston made us incomplete at the World Cup - Stephen Appiah

Former Black Stars captain, Stephen Appiah has stated that the Black Stars did not feel whole during the 2006 and 2010 World Cups because of Laryea Kingston's absence.

Kingston would have missed Ghana's opening game at the 2006 edition due to suspension. After playing a pivotal role in the qualifiers, he was left out of the final squad for the country's first-ever World Cup appearance.

Speaking on Joy Sports, Appiah blamed the decision on naivety, stating that the team would have replicated what England did with Wayne Rooney.

“We were naive [in 2006] about the rules… England took Rooney to the World Cup despite him being on suspension. If we had that knowledge in 2006, we would have pleaded with the GFA to add Laryea to the team because it was two games,” he told Joy Sports’ Prime Take.

Laryea yet again missed out on Ghana's final squad for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa after he was drooped from the provisional squad.

“I am [pained] because Laryea was one of the players that when I look back, even though we played at the World Cup in 2006 and 2010, it looks as if we were not complete.

The former Juventus midfielder believes Kingston deserved and earned the right to play at the World Cup due to the sacrifices he made for the team.

“Not because of his football but he should have been there because of his sacrifices. He was part of those who sacrificed. To date, I still feel bad.”

Laryea Kingston disclosed that he was pained by the decisions to drop him for the two edition but that of the 2010 World Cup left him devastated.

“The 2010 World Cup was the one that finished me. Immediately after the 2006 World Cup, I joined the team again and I played all the games in the qualifies the friendly games and I was out again,” he said on MX24.

He added, “I was not on suspension and I don’t know what happened. A day before they moved to South Africa, I was asked to go home. I am still searching for answers and criteria they used to take me out.”

EE/KPE