Ex Ghana international Lee Addy has urged Black Stars coach Charles Kwablan (CK) Akonnor to develop good rapport with the players of the senior national male team, and treat them with reverence if he wants the best out of them and to enjoy the needed respect he requires of them.
According to the former Berekum Chelsea, Red Star Belgrade centre back, “footballers are like women” who will always want to be treated with massive respect and Akonnor will win the hearts of the Black Stars players if he accords them the needed respect, maintains a good relation with them.
Akonnor, who was appointed the head coach of the Black Stars in January this year, is expected to be accorded the maximum respect by the current crop of players, judging from the fact that he has left a legendary status in the history of the team during his playing days when he captained the team. Meanwhile, Addy, 2010 Africa Cup of Nations finalist has cautioned that the players will reciprocate and maximize their adoration for Akonnor much as he does same for them.
“Truth is only one, we footballers are like women”, Lee Addy began in an exclusive interview with ghanasportspage.com when asked to opine on what Akonnor must do to earn the support of the Black Stars players.
He stressed, “Everything about us footballers is just like women, if you know how to move with us we will also move with you well. I believe if he (Akonnor) moves with them well they will do same, if you disrespect them they will also disrespect you then you can’t work together”, he advised.
The Black Stars has been managed by several expatriate coaches such as former Premier League side Chelsea ex manager Avram Grant, Serbian managers Ratomir Dujkovic, Milovan Rajevac, Goran Stevanovic, Claude Le Roy (France), Mariano Barreto (Portugal) etc and according to Addy, these managers exhibited a high sense of self-respect and respect for the players, especially Milovan Rajevac under whom he played during the 2010 African Cup of Nations and the FIFA World Cup finals. In comparison, Addy urged Akonnor to emulate same practice and he will enjoy the much needed homage from his players.
“The expatriates that’s how they do it, when they come they respect themselves, then they respect you (the player) then you also give them the needed respect and I think that’s fair because even your own child if you disrespect him he will also disrespect you”, he assessed.
Lee Addy was however quick to add, that Akonnor has what it takes to deliver as the Black Stars head coach and called on Ghanaians to throw their support behind him to aid him succeed.
“I believe he can do it, he should be strong. We all Ghanaians should also be strong and support him so we can achieve what we want to achieve”, he concluded.
Source: GSP1
