'I Gave Kevin Prince Boateng 2 Days To Apologise'

Dismissed Ghana coach, Kwesi Appiah has been explaining his fall-out with Kevin-Prince Boateng and says he gave the German born forward over 48 hours to apologise before taking disciplinary action for vulgar language and other acts of indiscipline including an open confrontation with the coach in the Black Stars camp at the 2014 FIFA World Cup. Boateng was sent home at the height of the country's disgraceful appearance at the biggest tournament in world football for a reported bust-up with coach Appiah and now the former Ghana captain has confirmed it. "He's a good player but that does not mean you can disrespect the coach. If anything, you can come to me and explain your position but it's not right to exchange words with me in front of all the players," coach Appiah told Metro TV's Good Evening Ghana programme. "He keeps doing it and it does not help the team especially the younger players. There is no way you can be using the 'f' word repeatedly on the technical team," the hitherto Ghana coach said. According to Kwesi Appiah, he was ready to give the player another chance had he shown remorse but an apology never came from Kevin-Prince Boateng. "I waited for two days whether he will come back and show remorse and I will forgive him and maybe fine him $5,000 or $10,000 then we move on. But for 2 days whenever he sees me, he will pass me by meaning he knew what he was doing," coach Appiah explained. Nevertheless, Kwesi Appiah acknowledges the quality the player poses and is defending his decision to hand Boateng a comeback into the national team following over two years of self-imposed international leave. "We actually realised that here is a player who lived in Germany and maybe this is about time he wants to prove to the Germans that he is a really good player," Appiah said. "And as I said, every coach looks at the training session before he puts his team forward. Looking at training session, I personally was a bit convinced that this guy is determined to prove something so let me put him out there at the end of day if he performs well, he's helping the whole nation," the former Black Stars trainer continued. Kwesi Appiah added: "He was so much improved and he was running, tackling, doing everything and we all thought and believed that he could change the game for us."