Assistant Ghana coach Kwesi Appiah says Derek Boateng is still key to the Black Stars despite playing a-bit part role at the 2012 African Cup of Nations.

Boateng has had little playing time at the tournament after with his only appearance being a late substitute in the 2-0 victory over Mali on Saturday.

Despite the experienced player yearning for more playing time, Appiah insists Boateng’s quality is very beneficial to the team.

“For Derek to be in the final 23 means he is a very good player,” Appiah said about the quality of the Ghana midfielder.

“Most of the time you go into competitions with two players for every position.

Sometimes, depending on tactical reasons you may use a player and if the player performs well, you may think about keeping the player for the next game.”

“We all know that Derek is one of our best players. He is a fantastic player. It is also important to have a good bench who you can always rely on. I believe it doesn’t really matter who starts and who sits on the bench, the important thing is making sure that we get a win.”