Posted by Former Asante Kotoko defender Emmanuel Ampeah has revealed why former Black Stars manager Kwesi Appiah was stripped off captaincy prior to the 1992 African Cup of Nations (AFCON).
Prior to the 1992 AFCON in Senegal, substantive captain of Ghana, Kwesi Appiah was stripped of captaincy by manager Otto Pfister. Olympic Marseille icon Abedi Pele was named new captain.
The move left a lot of football fans surprised, but Emmanuel Ampeah who was a member of the team has in an interview with Nhyira FM revealed why manager Otto Pfister made the move.
“Kwesi Appiah was stripped off the captaincy because he couldn’t speak French, this happened during a team meeting. This was the reason given to us. Kwesi Appiah didn’t utter a word about the issue. They needed someone who could speak and communicate in Senegal”, he told Nhyira FM.
The former center back also recounted the promises made to them [1992 squad] by the government and wasn’t fulfilled, he expressed his support to current Black Stars players for demanding huge money.
“I supported Black Stars players demanding for huge money, I supported because after the 1992 Cup of Nations, then president [Rawlings] promised us something when he heard Ivory Coast has been given one house each.
“Companies that gave out money to be given to us was not given to us, none of the promises was even fulfilled. We were receiving $10 as per diem. Even some of the leaders wanted to conceive what FIFA had given all players of the tournament”, he concluded.
Emmanuel Ampeah played for Asante Kotoko for more than a decade.