Stephen Appiah denies retirement reports

Celebrated former Ghana captain Stephen Appiah has rubbished reports he will announce his retirement from the game on Wednesday.

Media reports claimed the ex-Juventus star will pull the plugs on an illustrious career.


Ghanaian sports portal Allsports.com.gh claimed the former Fenerbahce star will now concentrate on charity work through his newly established Stephen Appiah Foundation.


But the 33-year-old has denied the reports insisting the media will not force him to retire.


“I think I have not told anyone I was going to announce my retirement today,” he told GHANAsoccernet.com


“I will do that properly when I feel the time is right. It’s not fair for people to keep putting such falsehood on the internet.

“I am planning my every step from now and I feel it’s only fair that the media allow me to execute and announce it in a proper way.


“It will come soon but I have not told anybody the day.”


Appiah has not played active football since ending a short-term deal at Serbian side Vojvodina two years ago.


At age 33, it is seen as early retirement for the talented midfielder who was sidelined for close to two years due to a career-threatening knee injury.


At the just ended World Cup finals in Brazil, he was part of Kwesi Appiah’s technical team but had no space on the bench.

Appiah captained Ghana at their debut World Cup appearance in Germany 2006.


He quit international football after playing a bit-part role at the 2010 World Cup finals in South Africa after making 67 caps and scoring 14 goals.


Appiah is one of the few Ghanaian players who have played for all national teams.