Aduana Stars have had a torrid campaign this term domestically and continentally much to the surprise of their fans considering the huge investments made into the team.
If the reports in the Ghanaian media are anything to go by, then Aduana Stars will be making a very good business with Nuttall’s appointment as head coach.
This is a club with an assemblage of quality talents none of their competitors in the league can boast of yet they struggle to grind out results.
In such situations, people with a rich vein of experience and expertise are called upon to remedy the situation and in Nuttall, the Ogya family has a man with the wherewithal to breathe a new lease of a life into the team and save a sinking ship.
Nuttall’s previous job in Africa has been a success, having previously impressed in Kenya with Gor Mahia between 2014 and 2016, where he led the K’Ogalo to an unbeaten league title in 2015, an achievement never done before in the competition and also won the KPL Top 8 Cup and Kenyan Super Cup titles.
Nuttall is a coach in the purest form.
At Hearts of Oak, Nuttall’s methods brought style as well confidence into a team that was bereft of inspiration. His Hearts side were a thrilling to watch, playing brave, attacking football with an emphasis on quick passing and heavy pressing high up the pitch.
What is appealing of the Scottish is his ability to serve as a reformative influence on the training ground. He was credited with the transformation of players like Kwame Kizito, Leonard Tawiah and Vincent Atinga, who were deemed by many as simply not good enough for the club; error –prone and lacking the ability to play Nutall’s fast- passing style.
Instead of sidelining them, Nutall kept faith in them and after countless hours of joyful practice and play, the aforementioned players became the fulcrum of the Hearts team that placed third on the league and were losing finalists in the FA cup. His obsessive attention to detail goes beyond moving in tandem; meticulously preparing his players for their individual opponents.
It’s not just individual performances that need lifting at Aduana. The players seriously need a confidence booster during a tumultuous time where players openly fight each other at training.
In fact, a trait which will no doubt attract the club is his notorious dislike of the transfer market. The prospect of delivering signings for a coach to work with, rather than him meddling in the selection process, will suit the club perfectly. Millions have been wasted on players who barely grace the pitch.
His career has had highs and lows, he’s learned from the depths of amateur football, and helped Thomas Abbey have the best goalscoring season of his career last campaign.
There’s probably never been a better time for Aduana to tap into Nuttall’s tactical and technical nous than now.
By: Godfred Budu Yeboah
