Watch your staff - Jones cautions Stars coach

Coach Appiah (L) will need unbriddled support of his assistant Maxwell Konadu and welfare office Sabahn Quaye

More than a decade after handling the Black Stars job, former national coach ‘Sir’ Cecil Jones Attuquayefio has cautioned new coach Kwasi Appiah to be wary of his backroom staff as their actions or inactions to either make or unmake Appiah’s reign.

The ex-coach advised that Appiah’s success or failure as the head coach of the national team would depend on how well he treated his technical assistants, and entreated him to ensure his backroom staff were well integrated into his plans.

Jones, who spoke to the Graphic Sports in an interview recently, warned that any act of insincerity and dishonesty on the part of Appiah’s assistants could undo his tenure, and advised the national coach him to watch out for such traits.

The 67-year-old former Hearts of Oak coach, who handled the Stars in 2001, worked with Appiah who serves as his assistant when the two were in charge of the Black Meteors team which failed to qualify for the 2004 Athens Olympics. Given their close relationship,

the veteran coach believes usually cool-headed Appiah must be more assertive and be his own man and also shut the doors on anyone who would not complement his efforts aimed at team success.

Attuquayefio, who was honoured by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as Africa’s best coach in 2000 after guiding Accra Hearts of Oak to win the African Champions League, praised the Ghana Football Association for doing the right thing by appointing a local coach to manage the national team.

He was optimistic former national captain would prove critics wrong by succeeding on the job to make a strong case for local coaches.

“I’ve worked with Appiah before and know his capabilities. What he needs now is the prayers and support of Ghanaians and the GFA to deliver,” Attuquayefio said.