Fresh after returning from his playing and coaching spells in South Africa, former Ghanaian international John Painstil is looking ahead to coaching the Black Stars “if the opportunity comes” to his doorstep.
The former Fulham defender has enjoyed a great spell with the Black Stars, playing 83 times for the team.
His experience at the top level of football includes playing in high profile international games at the Africa Cup of Nations and the World Cup.
Paintsil was a key cog for West Ham United and Fulham during his six years in England and played under several coaches with a variety of ideas on how to tackle football games.
Now coach of Vision FC Academy in Ghana, Paintsil wants to become a Black Stars head coach in the near future and will hope those lessons he picked up from his former mentors will come in handy.
“Working under these great coaches in the whole world and coming back here, I believe that whatever I have learned from them I have learned a lot that is going to help my coaching career,” Painstil said in an interview with TV3 Sports.
“One day one day well if the opportunity comes in future but as at now you know I’m a young coach and I’m still learning like I said I will meet coach Appiah just want to also understand how to coach a national team like that. You know Black Stars team is not like a club side it’s a huge thing and the big thing in the whole world not only Africa so when the opportunity comes in the future I will take it,” he continued.
Paintsil is now focusing on learning the trade at the Vision FC Academy and hopes grooming the kids will be a step in the right direction as he bids to make a sturdy progress in his coaching career.
“Yeah it is important for a player to understand what the coach want from them. First you explain to them what this exercise means and what we want to achieve. It is important for the player to understand but when the player go in and he is doing different thing you need to stop the game and then call him and try to bring them together.
“Then explain to them what they are suppose to do a coach needs to shout and encourage the players you need to have confidence have fun when you are playing have fun when you are training it’s the most important thing.
“Sometimes it is difficult like you teaching the player and the player is not listening and all that but players like from first division or second division getting this first touch can put the ball five passes between three players and switch on its amazing it’s a very good attitude from them as well,” he appended.
By Thierry Nyann|3news.com|Ghana