Ghana's Coach James Kwasi Appiah highlights experiences from his international playing and coaching career, and showcases his thoughts on Ghana football's past, present and future. Appiah also discusses major events during his time as a player, his journey to becoming an international coach, qualifying the national team to the World Cup, his teams preparations and participation in the 2019 African Cup of Nations, Ghana's Best XI, and leaving a legacy.
The book is divided into four parts: Part 1 - From Boy to Man, about his childhood through to his days with Kumasi Asante Kotoko; Part 2 - A Leader of Men and Teams, about becoming a coach and eventually the coach of the Black Stars; Part 3 - Champions Always Play to Win, about key events in his playing and coaching career; and Part 4 - Leaving a Legacy, about money, Ghana's Best XI, and the future of Ghana football.
Appiah gives his account of Senegal '92, which includes an eye-witness account of the Black Stars' painful loss of an AFCON final after the marathon penalty shootout, as well as about the captaincy controversy at that tournament that involved Kwasi Appiah, Abedi Pele, Tony Baffoe and Tony Yeboah. He also shares about the Brazil 2014 World Cup events, AFCON 2019 (which has three chapters dedicated to it), about making money and investing wisely, and his list of Ghana's all-time best players.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Foreword
Introduction
PART I: FROM BOY TO MAN
1. From Humble Beginnings
2. Opoku Ware School
3. Turning My Passion into My Profession
4. Fabulous Kumasi Asante Kotoko
PART II: A LEADER OF MEN AND TEAMS
5. Becoming a Coach
6. Becoming the Black Stars Coach
7. Win Now, or Forever Lose Your Peace
PART III: CHAMPIONS ALWAYS PLAY TO WIN
8. Black Stars: Libya 1982
9. Kumasi Asante Kotoko: 1983 Africa Championship
10. Black Stars: Senegal 1992
11. Black Stars: South Africa 2010 World Cup
12. Black Meteors: 2011 All-Africa Games
13. Black Stars: Brazil 2014 World Cup
14. Al Khartoum Al Watani (Sudan)
15. Black Stars: The Road to AFCON 2019
16. Black Stars: Going for Glory at AFCON 2019
17. Black Stars: Biggest Lessons from AFCON 2019
PART IV: LEAVING A LEGACY
18. Making Money and Investing Wisely
19. Ghana's Best XI
20. The Future of Ghana Football
21. Closing Thoughts
Afterword
Appendix
Index
From the Introduction:
Very few people have had the opportunity to walk the path that my life has taken. Very few people have risen to the position of responsibility that my professional life has provided me. As a result, I have seen things that only a few people have seen; I have had experiences that only a few people have had; and I have perspectives that only a few people have. Until now, the stories about the things I have seen, the experiences I have had and my perspectives on issues have been shared with only a relatively small group of people.
I have learned from my victories and my defeats. I have learned in the secure times and in the uncertain times. I have learned from the praise and the appreciation, and I have also learned from the resistance and the criticisms. Above all, I have learned how to live with and work with people, and how to lead people gracefully through normal and difficult times.
While my stories and perspectives are mainly from the world of football, I hope that the lessons and the inspiration they provide will be useful to footballers, coaches, and administrators, as well as to those who have little or no interest in football.
