Ghana team officials denies loss to US prompted ‘player revolt’.

 

Ghana team officials said Wednesday that reports of a “player revolt” against coach Kwesi Appiah following the 2-1 loss to the United States at the World Cup weren’t true.

A radio station misinterpreted the reason why a news conference at the team base in Maceio was postponed on Tuesday, the Ghana Football Association said, denying players had refused to report for the conference.

Ghana’s Joy FM said players — in particular Germany-based forward Kevin-Prince Boateng — were unhappy with Appiah’s tactics in the defeat to the Americans in Natal. Boateng and AC Milan’s Michael Essien started on the bench for the Group G game.

“We wish to state emphatically that the report is absolutely false and has no basis in fact,” the GFA said. “There is no player revolt against the coach of Black Stars and no player or players have been involved in any mutiny in the wake of the 2-1 defeat to the United States.”

The GFA said the news conference was put back from the morning to the afternoon because the team only arrived back at its base from Natal at 3 a.m. local time following Monday’s loss. All 23 players also attended training later Tuesday, the GFA said.

The GFA also said captain Asamoah Gyan and team management had “confronted” a Joy FM journalist over the story.

African teams are under the spotlight at the World Cup after simmering discontent in the Cameroon and Nigeria camps. 

Cameroon’s players initially refused to board a plane to Brazil over what they felt were poor bonuses and Nigeria’s preparations have also been distracted by issues surrounding player payments.

Only one of the five African teams at the World Cup, Ivory Coast, won in the first round of games. Nigeria drew 0-0 with Iran and Cameroon, Ghana and Algeria all lost.

Ghana’s task gets no easier. The 2010 quarterfinalist plays Germany next, which routed Portugal 4-0 in its opener.