It's an open secret how pervasive politics is everywhere in our nation  Ghana and its no surprise when former Black Stars coach Kwasi Appiah confirms in his new memoir 'Leaders don't have to yell' that he got his first short as assistant coach of the Black Stars with the help of his 'friend' ex- president Kuffour in 2011.

Apparently If then head of state president Kuffour had not intervened, CV would have been shelved at the GFA gathering dust.

Kwasi Appiah's appointment then raised eyebrows since he had very little experience and had not coached any football team of note since getting his badges to talk of making him an assistance for the senior national team.

In his memoir he gives a blow by blow account as to how his application letter and CV would have been consigned to the bin but for the intervention of his pal ex-president Kuffour.

“After Ghana’s appearance in the 2008 African Cup of Nations, I found out that there was a vacant position on the Black Stars because the coach at that time, Claude Le Roy, had sacked his assistant. I made a call to a few people I knew at the Ghana Football Association (GFA) office to inquire about the vacancy and to apply,” Appiah revealed.

“I presented my CV to the GFA representative. The person accepted my CV and that was the end of it. Like they say in Ghana, they sat on my CV. They just held on to it and did not invite me for an interview. Neither did they inform me that I was going to be considered for the job, even though I was duly qualified.

“At that time, Mr. John Agyekum Kuffuor was the president. I had a good relationship with him from my days with Kumasi Asante Kotoko where he had served for a while on their board of directors. I contacted the Office of the Ghana President to request an introduction to the GFA leaders. It was my hope that the President’s influence could get someone to take a look at my CV and let me know what was going on with my application.

“Thankfully, that influence from the President (JA Kuffuor) led to a phone interview, and then I was invited to come for in-person interview in Accra. I flew from London to Accra for the interview.

“I was offered the assistant coaching job with a salary of $3,000. The salary was extremely low compared to how much they were paying the foreign coaches. m

“I remember President Kuffuor reminding me not to focus so much on the money but to rather get there, excel at the job and see what happens next.

“It is possible that nothing would have happened to my application without the President (John Kuffuor’s) influence,” he narrated.