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But with all that has happened in the last two weeks, it is fair to say that Appiah will be bold enough to drop whoever he feels will not improve his side.
By stripping Asamoah Gyan off the Black Stars captaincy, Appiah made a huge statement. He is gradually proving that he is his own man. This is a man who has previously been criticized for being too quiet and passive.
During the 2014 World Cup, it was Appiah’s lack of authority that led to a meltdown of the dressing room. By failing to control the egos of his players, he indirectly opened the door for them to disrespect him.
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But even then, he held his own by sacking Sulley Muntari and Kevin-Prince Boateng from camp for leading the revolt, although it was too late to salvage the situation.
But ahead of the 2019 AFCON, the Black Stars coach is proving that he has learned from his mistakes and will not repeat them.
Not only has he stood his ground in stripping Gyan off the captaincy, he has also ensured that none of the players he is taking to the AFCON will question his authority.
If a ‘big’ player like Gyan can be thrown under the bus, it sends a strong signal to the young players in camp. After all, he owes no one an explanation on which players he decides to select or drop.
Appiah may have made several mistakes in the past, but selecting a new captain is definitely not one of them. Maybe the timing of the decision was not the best, but he still has the right to choose who he deems fit to be captain.
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For many years, Ghanaians questioned Appiah for his lack of authority but now he is beginning to show that he is his own man.
Perhaps, his handling of the captaincy issue best explains why he is called the “silent killer.”