Attuquayefio still interested in coaching Black Stars

Coach Jones Attuquayefio, head coach of Accra Hearts of Oak, said he was still interested in handling the senior national team, the Black Stars, after he was relieved of the job a year ago.

He said it was the pride of every coach to be the helmsman of a national team especially the Black Stars. The coach who was speaking on TV3's popular current affairs programme, "Hot Issues" on Saturday and monitored by the GNA Sports touched on a wide range of issues relating to the performance of the Black Stars at the on-going CAN 2002 in Mali and the development of soccer in general.

Asked by the host Osei Boakye, whether coach Osam Duodu should be fired if he failed to glitter in Mali, Attuquayefio who appeared evasive said a coach's job was insecure adding that one could only maintain the job by performing well.

He was very optimistic that the Black Stars would get "somewhere" and probably to the final. The coach noted that the Stars opening match was scrappy but said if what he saw in the second match against South Africa was anything to go by then the boys would go far.

Coach Attuquayefio took over the reigns of Italian coach Guiseppe Dossena as helmsman of the Stars in December 2000 but was relieved of the post months later after a fallout with Vice Chairman of the Ghana Football Association, Mr Emmanuel Owusu Ansah.