The race to become the next Black Stars coach could be a straight fight between former captain and coach Kwesi Appiah and former French international Willy Sagnol after the GFA search committee pruned the list of applicants down to three.

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Appiah and Sagnol are on the short list with Cameroon’s Nations Cup winning coach Hugo Broos thought to be the final name on the list. The interviews are due to be held next week.

Broos, the Belgian who guided Cameroon to their fifth Nations Cup title in January, is thought to be highly fancied within the GFA but is unlikely to leave his present post and highly unlikely to attend any interview while still under contract at the moment.

That leaves the race squarely between Appiah and Sagnol, Pulse.com.gh has learnt.

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Earlier reports had suggested former Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp and the former Brazil star Roberto Carlos to be in the running as part of a five-man shortlist. However, reliable sources have told Pulse.com.gh that the list was pruned down to three.

Appiah would be hoping all works in his favour. The former Ghana captain and coach earned rave reviews after guiding the Black Stars to the 2014 World Cup with impressive victories over the likes of Zambia and Egypt but a poor showing in Brazil that was dogged by player indiscipline, squabbles over money and poor outtings on the field left question marks over his leadership.

Sagnol, 40, enjoyed a successful playing career mostly with Bayern Munich and won over 50 caps for France in the process.

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His two coaching roles have been with the France U-21 side and French Ligue 1 side Girondins Bordeaux but he has not held a coaching role since leaving Bordeax last year. He was also embroiled in a racism row during his days at Bordeaux after suggesting African players were strong physically but not intelligent.