Ex-President John Kufuor has heaped praises on coach Akwasi Appiah leading the Black Stars’ qualification to the 2014 World Cup.

The ex-Black Stars captain has become the first Ghanaian to lead the team to qualify for the World Cup. Ghana beat Egypt 7-3 on aggregate to qualify for next year’s event in Brazil to cap an impressive series of good football.

The Black Stars only lost once throughout the qualification campaign which recorded marathon scorelines to show Ghana’s vast improvement in attack.

The team’s impressive display leaves the ex-President very proud, especially with a Ghanaian coach leading the charge. “I’m proud of the team for qualifying, and even more proud Akwesi Appiah is the coach,” former President told Allsports.

“Kwesi and I relate very closely. He is very serious and focused; single minded both as a player and as a coach, like he’s proven. “I believe he deserves the role he’s playing now [as coach]. I have all the confidence that he’ll keep on improving.”

Ghana will be playing in its third successive finals since its impressive debut appearance in 2006 in Germany.