Former Black Stars captain, Stephen Appiah, appeared before the Parliamentary Select Committee on Sports on September 25, 2024, to voice his concerns regarding the current state of Ghanaian football.

His appearance was part of an ongoing inquiry into Ghana's poor showing at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, where the team failed to advance beyond the group stage.

Appiah attributed the struggles of Ghanaian players based abroad in the Black Stars squad to their limited understanding of the Ghanaian culture, a result of insufficient interaction and bonding during training camps.

He also emphasized the importance of including more local players in the national team, citing how this approach was effective during his playing days.

Here are the five crucial takes by Stephen Appiah when he faced parliamentary committee on sports:

"Some of these foreign-based players don’t speak our local languages. Back in our time, after meals, we would gather to interact, joke around, and pray together, which helped us bond. But now, players go to camp and struggle to fit in because they aren’t familiar with the culture. It’s not about respecting or disrespecting the coaches – I haven’t witnessed anything like that."

"Local players need to be given opportunities to represent the national team. During our era, we had standout players, but we earned our spots through hard work. Take the 2004 World Cup as an example: Osei Kufuor, who was playing in Italy, was replaced in the second match by Shilla Illiasu from Kotoko. This is just one example of how local players have contributed significantly to the team's success."

It is not only the captain; all the players who come to the national team have to be committed because it is an honor to represent Ghana. For the past five years, we have been struggling, and it is not only the captain who should be blamed. If the people you are working with have the same goal, it works.

The Black Stars coaches are paid well, but coaches for the Under 17, 20, and 23 teams are not earning anything. If I were one of those coaches and an agent offered me money to pick a player, I would take it. So, we need to ensure that all coaches are treated fairly and compensated like the Black Stars coaches.

I hold the coaches accountable for some of the disrespectful behavior in the camp because it's their responsibility to decide who plays. If a player starts acting like they are above the coach, it’s up to the coach to take firm and decisive action