Defender Jerry Akaminko says he is grateful to Kwesi Appiah for handing him another lifeline in international football with a call up against Ethiopia.

The 29-year-old got his first call up to the Black Stars since sustaining a career-threatening ankle injury a day before Ghana’s squad for the 2014World Cup was announced.

Akaminko sustained the injury in virtually the last move of the friendly defeat against the Netherlands.

The injury kept the former Heart of Lions man out of action for over a year as he struggled to regain full fitness to get back into regular club action.

Despite all his attempts to revamp his career at club level, Akaminko was overlooked by coach Avram Grant only for Appiah to hand him a return on his Black Stars comeback as a coach.

The forceful defender is now thankful to Appiah – who handed him his debut Ghana call – for reviving his international career.

“I want to really thank him [Kwesi Appiah] for bringing me back [to the Black Stars],” he told FootballMadeInGhana.com.

“It may be coincidence that he was the one who handed me my first call up to the team but I think it is divine.

“I really want to thank him for the opportunity again and we hope for the best.”

Akaminko was however an unused substitute in the 5-0 win over Ethiopia in Ghana’s opening 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier despite making several changes to the ‘template’ line up employed by Avram Grant.