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Kwesi Appiah: Former Black Stars boss says he wants the job for a third time

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Kwesi Appiah and Joachim LowImage source, Getty Images
Image caption,

Appiah (left) was the first indigenous coach to lead Ghana in qualification for a World Cup in 2014

Kwesi Appiah has revealed that he wants to manage Ghana's national team for the third time - but admitted he "still has to wait" for his former employers to confirm his application.

In 2014, Appiah became the first Ghanaian to lead the Black Stars at the World Cup during an initial two-year stint, before returning for a less impressive second spell in charge between April 2017 and January 2020.

But the 62-year-old has submitted his application to the Ghana Football Association (GFA) in a bid to fill the void created by the departure of Otto Addo after the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

"Yes, I have applied for the vacant role but I am still waiting to hear back from the Ghana FA," Appiah told 大象传媒 Sport Africa.

"I don't want to be doing interviews about the job application until I get a response.

"As we speak, I haven't heard anything from them (the GFA)."

A member of the Ghana squad that won the 1982 Africa Cup of Nations, Appiah will be vying for the vacant post alongside as many as 60 foreign coaches.

The former Asante Kotoko defender first took charge of the Black Stars in 2012, becoming the first indigenous coach to qualify the four-time African champions for football's global showpiece.

But the Black Stars subsequently failed to get out of their group at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil and were also beset by off-field problems, with players being expelled from the team and a row over pay.

Appiah left his post by mutual consent three months after the tournament.

In his second spell leading the team, Ghana failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup, having played in the three previous editions, and were eliminated in the second round of the 2019 Nations Cup in Egypt.

He was released by the GFA who chose not to renew his contract.

Five months after his second exit, Appiah told 大象传媒 Sport Africa that he was being treated in a way no white coach in Africa would be as he demanded salary arrears totalling nearly $200,000 from his time in charge of the Black Stars.