Western Sydney Wanderers flyer Kwabena Appiah-Kubi is being courted to declare his international allegiance to New Zealand.
Western Sydney Wanderers flyer Kwabena Appiah-Kubi is being courted to declare his international allegiance to New Zealand.
Appiah-Kubi, 20, was born in New Zealand to Ghanaian parents before moving to Sydney at the age of nine, where he developed his talents in the Granville district before being spotted as a potential star by Central Coast Mariners.
A member of the Mariners championship-winning youth team last year, Appiah-Kubi switched to the Wanderers this season, where his progress has been steady rather than spectacular.
Nonetheless All Whites coach Ricki Herbert has watched his development with some interest, and met Appiah-Kubi to discuss his international intentions when the Wanderers played in Wellington in mid-January. So far both Herbert and Appiah-Kubi have been reluctant to elaborate on the meeting, but it’s understood the discussions were positive.
Appiah-Kubi has not played for Australia at any level, and unlike Andrew Durante’s recent switch to the All Whites there aren’t expected to be any complications should he choose to play for New Zealand.
The All Whites have recently completed a successful Oceania World Cup qualifying campaign, and now only a two-legged play-off against a North/Central American (CONCACAF) team later this year stands between New Zealand and a trip to Brazil.
If Appiah-Kubi does commit to the All Whites, he faces stiff competition for a starting berth with the likes of Marco Rojas, Jeremy Brockie, Louis Fenton, Tyler Boyd and Kosta Barbarouses all playing in a similar position.
