Ex-Black Stars defender, John Paintsil, has justified why Coach Kwasi Appiah must be added to the technical team of the Black Stars with Chris Hughton in charge as the new Black Stars coach.
The former Newcastle United and Brighton boss has replaced Otto Addo as head trainer of the club.
He will be assisted by George Boateng and Didi Dramani.
While lauding the appointment of Chris Hughton as the national team coach, Paintsil was of the view that the rich experience gathered by Coach Appiah with the national team over the years would be crucial to Hughton’s success.
The former Berekum Arsenal defender added that Hughton's limited knowledge of the local players, he would need the experience of Appiah to help shepherd him through this unfamiliar terrain.
''What I am suggesting is for them to add Kwasi Appiah so that he can help them going forward because all of them don’t know Ghana football culture. We have a football culture,” Paintsil told Graphic Sports.
Paintsil described the appointment as good since Hughton had acquired so much experience coaching in the English Premier League.
For Paintsil, having discovered the likes of Mohammed Kudus and others in the current Black Stars squad, Appiah would be well-placed to be part of the team’s backroom staff.
''Hughton is a very strict coach but he is also a very nice man and he is more experienced as well. For me, he just needs Kwasi Appiah to help him because when you look at the national team now, it was Appiah who brought Kudus and the others into the team.
''Kwasi Appiah has been with the team for more than 10 years, so if you are a coach and you want to make it and you think you don’t know much about Ghanaian football culture, then I think it will be wise to stretch a hand of invitation to him to come and help,” Paintsil reiterated.
Paintsil made 89 appearances for the senior national team.
Appiah was the only local coach to have applied for the vacant coaching job until the appointment of Hughton who was Technical Advisor to the national team during the six-month reign of Otto Addo.