Chris Hughton plays valuable role for Ghana in the shadows

Hughton, who turns 64 next month, has kept a low profile in Qatar in his role as technical adviser but there is little doubt he is an integral part of Ghana's brains trust

VALUABLE ROLE: Chris Hughton, who turns 64 next month, has kept a low profile in Qatar in his role as technical adviser but there is little doubt he is an integral part of Ghana's brains trust. File pic: Mike Egerton/PA Wire.

Chris Hughton sat high in the stands, stuck among the media in his green Ghanaian training garb, messaging down advice on a two-way radio to the bench as the west Africans beat South Korea on Monday to win their first points of the World Cup in Qatar.

The former Brighton & Hove Albion manager, and Republic of Ireland international fullback, is a key but almost invisible member of the coaching team, looking now to plot the downfall of Uruguay on Friday and win for Ghana a place in the last 16 of the tournament in Qatar.