FootyDream

Stephen Appiah, the ex-captain of the Black Stars, has expressed his dissatisfaction with the state of football administration in Ghana.

He believes that it is time for former footballers to get involved in the management of the game in order for it to thrive in the country.

Appiah, who is 42 years old, has cited the drop in performance of the national teams, including the Black Stars’ first-round exit from their last two international tournaments, as evidence that changes need to be made.

In an interview with Sompa TV, Appiah emphasized the importance of involving former players in the running of football. He revealed that as ex-footballers, they have a wealth of contacts and experience that could benefit the sport. He went on to say that he has learned that football is not about language proficiency, but rather, it is about wisdom and the ability to understand the game.

Appiah also shared that during his time in Italy, he did not understand Italian, but was still able to communicate with his coach and learn from him. The former Black Stars team manager, who worked under Kwesi Appiah during his last spell as coach of the national team, believes that the involvement of legends and former players is key to the success of Ghanaian football.

“It’s sad because the contacts that we have and the people we can pick phones and call, when I mention names, you will be shocked,” he said on Sompa TV.

“At times we don’t get the chance, I mean the legends, former players, we don’t get the chance. “I have learnt something, football is run by footballers, it is not about English or the grammar. It is all about the wisdom.

“When I went to Italy, I didn’t understand Italian but when the coach communicates I get it.”

Sports Broadcast Journalist George Addo Jnr has joined the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) after more than a decade of work on the Ghanaian and African scene.

George has, in the last ten years, worked with Ghana’s largest media conglomerate, the Multimedia Group Limited, and will be looking to make all that experience count in further strengthening the BBC as the leading sports news platform in Africa and the world.

George becomes the third Ghanaian Sports Journalist after Yaw Ampofo Ankrah and Ibrahim Sannie Daara to join the BBC and work with the corporation on site in the United Kingdom.

George holds a bachelor’s degree in Linguistics and Psychology from the University of Ghana and a post-graduate certificate from the Global School of Business – UK in Sports Marketing and Communication.

George’s love affair with sports stretches back to his days as a student. During his time at the university, he played a pivotal role in the University of Ghana’s Sports for Development Programme and provided extensive research for the Ghana Universities Sports Association.

At Radio Univers, the campus station, George rose to the position of Head of Sports, leading the strategic coverage of two University of Ghana Sports Association games; that is the West African Universities Games and the World University Games.

These giant strides did not go unnoticed, as he was subsequently adjudged Student Reporter of the Year in 2013 by his peers and the university community.

When George made the step up to Joy FM, he fit in seamlessly and was the radio station’s chief football commentator for nine years. This role saw him deliver world-class commentary on several major sporting tournaments, notably including five Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournaments, two European football championships, five UEFA Champions League campaigns, three FIFA World Cup tournaments and seven Ghana Premier League campaigns.

Rated as one of the best English commentators Ghana has ever produced by the venerable Mirror newspaper, George’s crystal clear, distinct and captivating commentary on radio and TV made him a three-time nominee for the PAV Ansah Communications Award under the prestigious EMY Africa Awards scheme.

He was accredited to cover three consecutive UEFA Champions League finals in 2016, 2017, and 2018.

Indeed, Addo created a bit of history for himself when, in 2021, he delivered commentary on the Euros final between England and Italy from Wembley for Joy FM. That same tournament saw him deliver television commentary for Joy Prime, who had exclusive TV rights to the games.

A zealous storyteller, George used his creativity to craft excellent documentaries and features on the Ghanaian league, which positioned him for an award from the Ghana Premier League Board for his significant promotion of the topflight in 2013 and 2014. He was also chief athletics reporter at Joy FM, covering five major competitions – the 2017 World Athletics Championships in London, the 2018 Indoor Athletics Championships in Birmingham, the 2018 Africa Athletics Championships in Asaba (Nigeria), the 2019 World Athletics Championships in Doha, and the 2022 World Athletics Championships in Oregon.

George’s catalogue of interviewees is also quite rich, having sat down with top personalities like CAF President Patrice Motsepe, Borussia Dortmund CEO Carsten Cramer, as well as Liverpool legends Ian Rush, Robbie Fowler and John Barnes. He has also interviewed World Athletics boss Lord Coe and legendary football commentators Peter Drury, Jim Beglin, among other distinguished personalities in the sports world.

George has also been featured on some of the world’s leading and influential media, including SuperSport, talkSPORT, Newzroom Afrika, DW, and the BBC, where he now calls home.

His experience in communications saw him handed the role of media lead for Borussia Dortmund’s first official visit to Ghana and Africa, while he worked as the communications director for the Ghana Beach Soccer Association from 2013 to 2017.

Additionally, he was also named Communications Director of the Coach Hene Sports Club in East Manchester last month.

George began his new role at the BBC in March, and has already slotted in as football reporter a number of times on the station’s Sports World radio show, which airs on weekends.

Despite being permanently based with the BBC now, the corporation’s status as partner station for the Multimedia Group in Ghana means Addo still does a few programs for the Kokomlemle-based broadcaster on radio and TV.

However, his primary focus at the moment is to make an impact at BBC Quay House in Salford, where he now calls home.