Ghanaian legend Kwesi Appiah open to a reunion with Harambee Stars midfielder after a decade
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Reading Time: 3min | Wed. 27.08.25. | 18:16
They both worked together in Khartoum between 2014 to 2015 before Zesco United acquired the defensive midfielder following his impressive performances with the Sudanese giants
On Saturday, 8 September 2018, the then Ghana national football team head coach James Kwesi Appiah ran into the open arms of Harambee Stars midfielder Anthony 'Teddy' Akumu at Kasarani Stadium, with the two warmly embracing in front of slightly over 17,000 fans who had turned up at the facility to watch the David vs Goliath clash.
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Kenya had opened the Kasarani doors to the star-studded Black Stars for a 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier, with the hosts defying all odds, stacked heavily against them and compounded by numerical disadvantage, to squeeze an infamous 1-0 win over Ghana.
The result, Joash Onyango's red card, Ovella Ochieng's runs down on the right wing, Dennis Odhiambo and Ismael Gonzalez's double pivot, coach Sebastien Migne's tantrums after the match, the low turn out and how Ghana failed to hack it, despite having all manner of deadly arsenal in their armoury, were some of the talking points from the game.
However, those with a keen eye for small details spotted Appiah and Akumu engaged in a brief chat after the warm-up and the final whistle, which is not uncommon for professionals who have previously worked together.
Their paths had presumably not crossed for four years since Akumu bid Appiah, and the rest of Al Khartoum Club fraternity goodbye in 2015 for greener pastures and CAF Champions League football in Zambia.
Akumu worked under Appiah in Khartoum between 2014 to 2015 before Zesco United acquired the defensive midfielder following his impressive performances with the Sudanese giants.
Despite not watching him in action for close to a decade, Appiah still holds Akumu's talent in high regard and does not mind coaching him again should he return to club football.
In an exclusive interview with Mozzart Sport, Appiah revealed that Akumu was one of the most versatile players he had tutored, noting that his discipline had always set him apart from his peers, who have since hung up their boots.
"Anthony is a good friend. What stands out in him is that when you give him a different role on the pitch, he tries to the best of his abilities. He is very respectful, and I have always liked him. I hope he gets a new team.
If an opportunity comes, automatically, I would like to have him if he is still playing at the same level he was like ten years ago," opened up the Ghanaian legend.
Akumu is currently a free agent after parting ways with Iranian side Kheybar Khorramabad back in June following the expiry of his deal.
Besides Zesco, Kheybar and Khartoum, the 33-year-old has featured for record Kenyan champions Gor Mahia, South African giants Kaizer Chiefs and Japanese side Sagan Tosu.
