Half-fit Dede is better than some Black Stars players - Kuffour

Samuel Osei Kuffour believes that the coach of the senior national team, Kwesi Appiah should have gone along to South Africa with a half-fit Dede Ayew.

Kwesi Appiah decided to exclude Dede Ayew from his national squad for the African Cup of Nations after he failed to turn up for the second time for a medical examination by the medical team.

Kuffour believes there was lack of communication of some sort as wired as the whole saga seems. “I’m wondering how the GFA communicated with Marseille about Dede’s injury because while Marseille say they released him, the GFA say he didn’t report. Personally, I would take Dede along even if his head is off,” he said lightly. “If there is a chance, that he could get fit during the competition.

I would not exclude him. I don’t think there is player in Black Stars who dedicates himself to the cause of the team more than Dede does. “You could see from his attitude on the pitch that he has an aim to win the Africa Best player accolade and a player like that would do all he can to feature in a tournament like the Africa Cup of Nations; Kuffour said.

“Players who set personal targets like for themselves like that would always put in an effort which will affect the whole team in the long run”.

The former Bayern Munich defender revealed how such personal targets affected his career.

“When I started playing, I wanted to hit the then dazzling heights of Frempong Manso and Emmanuel Armah and when I got there, Paolo Maldini was next in line; now how my career panned out, is there for all to see.

I remember how Abedi Ayew Pele came to my room in 1996 when we were about to face Cote d’Ivoire in South Africa. “all he said that day was, Sammy, just mark and Joel Tiehi and Abdoulaye Traore out and we will be victors today, “I believe you can do it”, he added.

“These words resonated in my head throughout the match and I did just that and Ghana won”.