Half-fit Andre Ayew Is Better Than Many Ghana Players – Sammy Kuffour

Posted On Friday, 11th January 2013

Ex-Bayern Munich star Samuel Osei Kuffour says Ghana coach Kwesi Appiah should have gambled half-fit Andre Ayew because his trenchant dedication on the pitch makes him better than many players in the squad.

ANdre Ayew was left out of Ghana’s squad for the Africa Cup of Nations

Ex-Bayern Munich star Samuel Osei Kuffour says Ghana coach Kwesi Appiah should have gambled half-fit Andre Ayew because his trenchant dedication on the pitch makes him better than many players in the squad.

The former Ghana international believes that the coach should have included the son of legend Abedi Pele in the Black Stars squad to this month’s Africa Cup of Nations.

Appiah excluded Ayew from the squad after he failed to turn up for the second time for a medical examination by the medical team.

Kuffour believes there was lack of communication of some sort as wired as the whole saga seems.

“I’m wondering how the GFA communicated with Marseille about Dede’s injury because while Marseille say they released him, the GFA say he didn’t report to camp,” Kuffuor said.

“Personally, I would take Dede along even if his head is off,” Kuffuor told 90 Minutes newspaper jokingly.

“If there is a chance, that he could get fit during the competition.

“I would not exclude him. I don’t think there is player in Black Stars who dedicates himself to the cause of the team more than Dede does.

“You could see from his attitude on the pitch that he has an aim to win the Africa Best player accolade and a player like that would do all he can to feature in a tournament like the Africa Cup of Nations.

“Players who set personal targets like for themselves like that would always put in an effort which will affect the whole team (positively) in the long run”.

The former Bayern Munich defender, who won the UEFA Champions League with the German giants, revealed how such personal targets affected his career.

“When I started playing, I wanted to hit the then dazzling heights of Frempong Manso and Emmanuel Armah and when I got there, Paolo Maldini was next in line; now how my career panned out, is there for all to see.

“I remember how Abedi Ayew Pele came to my room in 1996 when we were about to face Cote d’Ivoire in South Africa. “all he said that day was, Sammy, just mark and Joel Tiehi and Abdoulaye Traore out and we will be victors today, “I believe you can do it”, he added.

“These words resonated in my head throughout the match and I did just that and Ghana won.”

Source: 90 Minutes

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