He may not be hogging the headlines as he did when he converted the penalty against USA at Germany 2006. That goal took Ghana to the second round of their maiden World Cup berth. These days Stephen Appiah rarely makes special guest appearances at celebrity events but the captain of Ghana's mystical 'Black Stars' team could be the most lethal player in South Africa. The 'Tornado' as he was nicknamed by Italian fans during his spell there, has spoken for the first time about the horror of waking up in the middle of the night to see the veins in his leg literally popping out. The player tells of how his team mate Karim Kazim raised the alarm one night during a pre season training camp following surgery to his knee. "I was in so much pain that i cried like a baby which woke Kazim up and when he switched on the lights the veins in my operated leg were popping out." The shocking and graphic revelations have surfaced as the Black Stars of Ghana pitch camp here in Pretoria ahead of their second consecutive appearance at the Fifa World Cup Finals. "There is a God up there who loves me and is watching me" confessed Appiah in his first exclusive interview since surprisingly being included in Ghana's final 23 man squad. The gifted and inspirational captain of Ghana believes that the current blend of youth and experience can shock the world in the next few weeks and he says this is the moment most of the players have been waiting for. Yet it all seemed like an impossible mission only a few months ago as he recovered in the soccer wilderness. The former Accra Hearts of Oak and Juventus link man recalls the day when SEVEN Italian doctors examined him following the earlier botched operation in Turkey. The player's difficulty in breathing was misdiagnosed as asthma and by the time his condition was detected, doctors feared it was too late. They kept saying thrombosis...thrombosis but i did not know until i was told my blood was not circulating properly after the operation. ''I am not proud of it, but yes i agreed to have the operation in Turkey instead of Italy, France or Germany because i trusted the medical team at Fenebarce''. However as it later turned out,it was the begining of the longest and toughest battle in the midfielder's career as he was put on life saving medication and told to stay away from football for six months. Appiah's coach at Fenebarce at the time the legendary Zico was so concerned about his star man's health that he pushed for the player to seek immediate specialist attention. The obvious destination was Italy where he had cemented a reputation as a tireless and combative midfield general. Fast forward to 2010 and once again against all odds the player is set to lead his troops to battle against Serbia, Australia and World Cup outside favourites Germany. "It was prayers and support from my family, close friends, Ghanaians and the FA that kept me going." The player also mentions the behind the scenes role played by the newly established Professional Footballers Association of Ghana (PFAG) in his battle. While Appiah's ordeal appears to be over on one front, he still has to wait anxiously for closure to the long and bitter dispute with his former club Fenebarce. For nearly two years now,the two parties have been deadlocked over detailed claims and counter claims of how their contract broke down. Fifa had declared the the player a free agent before he joined Bologna in late 2009, but the governing body asked Appiah to compensate the club. Fenerbahce constested the amount be paid to them, while Appiah's lawyers argued that he rather should be compensated for missing two years of what was a sparkling career. Ultimately the case was taken to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) which is expected to give a final ruling on the matter in a matter of weeks. Appiah admits that the last thing anyone could have imagined after Germany 2006 was that he would be effectively unemployed for two years and he even joked about his predicament by saying '' people were saying all sorts of things about my situation...that im broke and im finished but the day im finished is the day God says so not man'' There is no doubt that the steely determination and fighting spirit enshrined in Italian football have been positive influences. ''If you ask me, the Udinese factor has been the secret to so many Ghanaian success stories in Italian football'' The reference cannot be dismissed when names are mentioned. Mohamed Gargo,Sulley Muntari,Asamoah Gyan, Kwadwo Asamoah and Appiah himself at one time or another donned the white and black of Udinese. Before his ''comeback'' with Bologna, Appiah had already played for Serie A sides Udinese, Parma, Brescia and Juventus before spending three successful seasons at Fenerbahce. Coming Next Week: ''We had to pave the way and pay the Price'' George Weah Former BBC Fast Track and e.tv Ghana Executive Producer Yaw Ampofo-Ankrah breaks protocol in a series of exclusive interviews with the cream of past and present African Footballers covering and participating at SA 2010. Source:myjoyonline.com