Ghana forward Kevin-Prince Boateng has expressed regret over how his international career came to an abrupt stop about six years ago.
The 33-year-old has represented Ghana at two Fifa World Cup tournaments – South Africa 2010 and Brazil 2014. But the last outing saw him hog the headlines for all the wrong reasons.
Boateng – who had only just returned from a controversial retirement from international duty – was expelled from the Black Stars camp in the hours before their final group game against Portugal on Thursday, June 26, 2014. He was indefinitely suspended for using vulgar language to insult then head coach, James Kwasi Appiah – an accusation he has vehemently denied.
Speaking with his brother Jerome Boateng on an a social media Live Chat, the Fiorentina attacker currently on loan at Besiktas admitted he is still open to donning the Ghana colours one more time.
“With the national team, I didn’t like the way it ended because they gave me so much,” Kevin-Prince Boateng said.
“But you never know, maybe I can go back and play one more time again.”
The former AC Milan star also revealed he remains attached to his fatherland.
“My relationship with Ghana is still intact. I still feel close to them,” he said, further hinting at an interest in working as a national team coach in the future.
“Or maybe the coach; you never know,” Kevin Boateng said to which his brother responded: “Oh yeah, best coach.”
Flashback: Boateng sacked from Stars camp
After a defeat to the USA and a draw with Germany, Ghana’s continuous participation in their third successive Fifa World Cup tournament hanged on a thread as they were set to come up against a Cristiano Ronaldo-led Portugal in the final game in Group G.
But the team camp was hit by two separate storms which escalated into star midfielder Sulley Muntari assaulting Black Stars management Committee member Moses Armah ‘Parker.’
It was on Tuesday, June 24, 2014 when a seemingly harmless training ground incident between close pals Kevin-Prince Boateng and Sulley Muntari turned sour. The two former AC Milan teammates reportedly had a go at each other but in that exchange of words [in Italiano], coach Kwasi Appiah misconstrued Boateng’s words as being targeted at him. The coach, allegedly, shot back at Boateng, who then swore at him.
No action was immediately taken against Boateng for the alleged disrespectful behaviour.
As if the bad day at training wasn’t enough, a wider rebellion also occurred at the Black Stars camp same day when the team protested over their unpaid appearance fees. The Black Stars threatened to boycott their trip to the Brazilian capital to play Portugal unless they got paid.
These were followed by the Muntari-Parker incident on the eve of the Ghana vs Portugal tie before 3 million US dollars in cash was flown in by Ghana’s government and transported to the team’s hotel.
Both Kevin-Prince Boateng and Sulley Muntari were subsequently axed from the Ghana camp on counts of using vulgar verbal insults and assault just hours to facing Portugal. The Europeans won the match 1-0 but that was not enough as both countries got eliminated from the World Cup.
