By Ibrahim Karim Bangura (Tanko)

Football pundits and fans home nd abroad are speculating on the goodies that Leone Stars new head coach will bring forth.

Mohamed Kallon was  a former international player for InterMilan in Italy , Monaco in France, and he played for   a club in Saudi Arabia.

He is heading up now Sierra Leone’s men’s national team, Leone Stars.

Fans wonder now whether Mohamed Kallon could make a positive impact or not on Leone Stars owing to  his experience as a player and a certified coach. He joined the Leone Stars at a time the country had been ranked at a low position, dropping to 129 in the World FIFA ranking due to poor performance in the Africa Cup of Nations Qualifiers 2025 campaign to be hosted in Morocco.

Addressing the players as a new coach, Kallon stressed on the importance of interpersonal skills in gaining acceptance and achieving success within a team.

He encouraged his players to show self-respect and maintain humility toward team officials and fellow players when given opportunities to showcase their talents in the national team.

He reflected on his time at Inter Milan, drawing from his rich experience in Europe.

“I wasn’t the best among those trying out, but my respect, humility, and eagerness to learn opened doors for me,” he said.

Coach Kallon highlighted that the evaluation of players’ skills often extend beyond mere technical abilities or on-field performances, with most focus being on physicality instead of their interactions and respect for colleague teammates.

“From the first whistle, your response to your teammates’ instructions will be the first point of assessment,” he explained.

He further illustrated his points the need for players having skills required who might face rejection not for their lack of talent but due to their negative behaviuors.

“They don’t buy a player solely on his performance or ability. Most times, players are accepted into a team based on human connections: how you speak, respond, and interact with your teammates can help you. Being respectful and humble is very crucial,” he added.