‘Prez Mahama is not forcing me to field Ayews’

Ghana coach Kwesi Appiah insists the country’s President John Dramani Mahama is not forcing him to field the Ayew brothers Andre and Jordan when they return to the Black Stars.

Appiah has endorsed the intervention by the country’s leader insisting the action is only a move to get the play to commit to the Black Stars once again.


There is widespread belief that the involvement of President Mahama in the return of the Ayews is an element of pressure on the coach to field the duo on their return.


Some have accused President Mahama of trying to force the coach to field the Ayews by intervening in the matter for the duo to return to the side.


But the Black Stars coach insists the intervention by the country’s leader for the two players to return to action for the national team doesn’t mean they will be selected automatically.


Andre and Jordan quit in February when both players were dropped from Ghana’s Nations Cup squad citing different reasons for their decision to quit.


Jordan insisted in February that he wants to be assured of regular playing time before he returns to the Black Stars while Andre said he had problems with the management of the national team.

However the duo announced their return to international football recently after a meeting with Ghana President John Mahama.


Despite the general belief that the involvement of President Mahama in the return of the Ayews will bear some amount of pressure for the coach to include them in his squad, Appiah disputes that.


“I don’t believe in pressure. The President never said they should come back and be in the first team,” the Black Stars coach told BBC Sport.


“The president said they should make themselves available and for me that is a good thing because it is important that players are available for the nation at any given time.


“While the players make themselves available, they will be invited on merit and based on the demands of every game.”


The Ayew brothers are expected to return to action for Ghana in September when they play Zambia in a 2014 World Cup qualifier.