James Kwesi Appiah

James Kwesi Appiah (born 30 June 1960),[1] also known as Akwasi Appiah,[2] is a Ghanaian football coach and former player who played as a left back and is currently the head coach of Sudan national football team.

James Kwesi Appiah
Personal information
Full name James Kwesi Appiah
Date of birth (1960-06-30) 30 June 1960
Place of birth Kumasi, Ashanti, Ghana
Position(s) Left back
Team information
Current team
 Sudan (head coach)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1982–1983 Prestea Mine Stars
1983–1993 Asante Kotoko
International career
1982–1992 Ghana
Managerial career
1992–1995 Asante Kotoko (assistant)
1995–1996 Asante Kotoko
2007–2012 Ghana (assistant)
2011 Ghana U23
2012–2014 Ghana
2014–2017 Al Khartoum
2017–2020 Ghana
2021–2023 Kenpong Football Academy
2023– Sudan
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Early life and education

Appiah was born on 30 June 1960 in Kumasi.[3] He attended Opoku Ware School (OWASS) for his secondary school education.[4][5]

Club career

Appiah, a left back, played club football for Prestea Mine Stars[6] between 1982 and 1983, before joining Asante Kotoko,[2] playing for them between 1983 and 1993.[7]

International career

Appiah played for the Ghana national team between 1982 and 1992,[7] appearing in two FIFA World Cup qualifying matches;[8] he also captained the team.[2] Appiah was part of the 1982 squad that won the 1982 African Cup of Nations.[9][10]

Coaching career

Between 1992 and 1995 Appiah served as the assistant coach for his former club Asante Kotoko including deputizing under Malik Jabir. He was subsequently promoted to serve in the role of head coach from 1995 to 1996.[11][12] He served as a coach as part of the technical team of Fred Osam-Duodu when he served as Head coach of the Ghana national team from 2000 to 2001.[11]

He has received technical training from English clubs Manchester City,[13] and Liverpool.[14]

James Kwesi Appiah was Ghana's assistant coach between 2007 and 2012 serving under Claude Le Roy and Milovan Rajevac.[12][15]

Appiah was coach of Ghana U23 as they won the 2011 All-Africa Games.[16]

He was appointed as the Head coach of the Ghana national team in April 2012,[17][18] describing himself as "the underdog" in the process.[19] His Ghana team qualified for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil,[20] making him the first black African coach to take the country to the World Cup.[21][22] He was given a new two-year contract in May 2014.[23] After the country exited the World Cup in the group stages, Appiah defended his team.[24] He left his position as Ghana manager by mutual consent in September 2014.[25]

He became manager of Sudanese club Al Khartoum in December 2014.[26] During his first season, he led the team to a fourth place finish and qualification to the Confederation Cup. The following season, he led the club in attaining the highest points tally per season in the club’s history, 65 points, however they did not qualify for the CAF Confederation Cup.[27]

In April 2017 he was re-appointed as the coach of the Ghana national team, replacing former Chelsea manager Avram Grant.[28] He was sacked in January 2020.[29]

In July 2021, he was appointed as the head coach of Kenpong Football Academy.[30][31]

In January 2023 he was linked with the manager's job at Tanzanian club Simba SC.[32] He also applied to become Ghana national team manager.[33]

In September 2023, Appiah became the head coach of the Sudan national football team, whilst still working as Technical Director of Asante Kotoko in a joint role.[34]

Honours

Player

Asante Kotoko[35]

Ghana

Manager

Ghana U23

Individual

  • Millennium Excellence Awards – Sports Category: 2021[37]
  • SWAG Sports Personality of the Year: 2014[38]
  • SWAG Coach of the Year: 2012[39]

References
  1. "Profile". L'Equipe. Retrieved 2 March 2014.
  2. Patrick Akoto (10 April 2012). "Ghana FA reaches agreement with Kwesi Appiah, set to be unveiled on April 17". Ghana Soccernet.
  3. "Ghana – K. Appiah – Profile with news, career statistics and history – Soccerway". gh.soccerway.com. Retrieved 10 March 2021.
  4. "Opoku Ware SHS honours Kwesi Appiah". www.ghanaweb.com. 4 December 2017. Retrieved 10 March 2021.
  5. "Ex-Ghana coach Kwesi Appiah visits former school Opoku Ware ahead of famous Sprite Basketball Championship". GhanaSoccernet. 2 January 2016. Retrieved 10 March 2021.
  6. "James Kwesi Appiah : Asante Kotoko Technical Director very soon". Africa Top Sports. 19 June 2020. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
  7. James Kwesi Appiah at National-Football-Teams.com
  8. James Kwesi Appiah – FIFA competition record (archived)
  9. "African coaches treated with less respect says Ghana's Kwesi Appiah at Cup of Nations". RFI. 5 February 2013. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
  10. ""All we got from Rawlings after winning 1982 AFCON was a Presidential salute" – kwesi Appiah". The Independent Ghana. 4 February 2020. Archived from the original on 22 July 2021. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
  11. Appiah, Samuel Ekow Amoasi (23 January 2020). "Coaching Kotoko Is Difficult Than Black Stars, Says Former Ghana Coach". Modern Ghana. Retrieved 1 July 2021.
  12. "Ten Things About Ghana Coach Kwesi Appiah You Do Not Know". Modern Ghana. 15 October 2013. Retrieved 1 July 2021.
  13. "Ghana coach Appiah back to share skills with Man City". BBC Sport. 24 April 2013.
  14. "Ghana coach to get Liverpool tips". BBC Sport. 21 March 2014. Retrieved 21 March 2014.
  15. Association, Ghana Football. "Kwasi Appiah signs contract with FA". www.ghanafa.org. Retrieved 2 July 2021.
  16. "Ghana beat South Africa for Gold". Kickoff.com. 18 September 2011. Archived from the original on 6 June 2014. Retrieved 11 April 2012.
  17. "Ghana appoint James Kwesi Appiah as new head coach". BBC Sport. 10 April 2012.
  18. Association, Ghana Football. "Kwesi Appiah named as Ghana coach". www.ghanafa.org. Retrieved 2 July 2021.
  19. Michael Oti Adjei (18 April 2012). "New Ghana coach Kwesi Appiah keen to silence doubters". BBC Sport.
  20. "World Cup 2014: Ghana make it through to Brazil". BBC Sport. 19 November 2013. Retrieved 25 November 2013.
  21. "Africa needs more local coaches, says Caf coach". BBC Sport. 22 November 2013. Retrieved 25 November 2013.
  22. "World Cup 2014: Appiah prepares to name Ghana squad". BBC Sport. 10 May 2014. Retrieved 12 May 2014.
  23. Michael Oti Adjei (23 May 2014). "Ghana coach Kwesi Appiah given new contract". BBC Sport. Retrieved 25 May 2014.
  24. "World Cup 2014: Appiah happy with Ghana performances". BBC Sport. 27 June 2014. Retrieved 28 June 2014.
  25. "Kwesi Appiah leaves his post as Ghana coach by mutual consent". BBC Sport. 12 September 2014. Retrieved 13 September 2014.
  26. "Former Ghana coach Kwesi Appiah takes over at SC Khartoum". BBC Sport. 17 December 2014. Retrieved 18 December 2014.
  27. "Appiah: El Khartoum has a special place in my heart". CAFOnline. CAF-Confedération Africaine du Football. 23 April 2017. Retrieved 5 March 2022.
  28. "Ghana re-appoint Kwesi Appiah as coach". BBC Sport. 4 April 2017. Retrieved 4 April 2017.
  29. "Ghana's FA ousts national team coaches at all levels". BBC Sport. 3 January 2020.
  30. "Kwesi Appiah appointed as head coach of Kenpong Football Academy". My Joy Online. 19 July 2021. Retrieved 20 July 2021.
  31. "Kwesi Appiah to handle ambitious Kenpong Football Academy". GhanaWeb. 19 July 2021. Retrieved 21 July 2021.
  32. "Tanzanian club Simba SC in talks to appoint Kwasi Appiah – Report". GhanaWeb. 25 January 2023.
  33. Adjei-Mintah, Yaw (25 January 2023). ""Still waiting to hear from GFA"-Kwesi Appiah states after applying for Black Stars HC job". Citi Sports Online. Retrieved 15 October 2023.
  34. Quansah, Maurice (27 September 2023). "Kwasi Appiah gets green light for dual role with Sudan and Asante Kotoko". Graphic Online. Retrieved 15 October 2023.
  35. "James Kwesi Appiah". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmermann. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
  36. "Today in history: Opoku Nti wins CAF Champions League for Kotoko". Modern Ghana. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
  37. "Millennium Excellence Award – The icing on Kojo Antwi's career?". Graphic Online. Retrieved 21 July 2021.
  38. "2014 World Cup: Ghana coach Kwesi Appiah wins flagship SWAG Personality of the Year award". GhanaSoccernet. 18 May 2014. Retrieved 5 March 2022.
  39. Shardow, Ameenu (9 June 2012). "Akwasi Appiah named SWAG Coach of the Year". GhanaSoccernet. Retrieved 5 March 2022.
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