Former Black Stars head coach, C.K. Akonnor, has acknowledged that West Ham midfielder Mohammed Kudus is Ghana’s biggest star player and that we should be happy to have him in the Black Stars.
He said this on the sidelines of the 2024 Euros viewing party held at the German Ambassador to Ghana’s residence in Accra in an interview .
After addressing the future of the Black Stars and his future in coaching after not serving in a head coaching role since leaving the Black Stars job, Akonnor spoke on Mohammed Kudus’ importance to Ghana’s National Men’s Football Team.
“He is our star and we can’t argue about that. He is our star, he is the person making waves as far as Ghana soccer is concerned and there is nothing wrong with that.
He is a good player, a young chap who has developed from youth to this level and so we should be happy to have somebody like him.”
In his debut season with West Ham, Kudus produced 18 goals and seven assists in 48 appearances; he finished second in West Ham’s Player of the Season Award voting.
Kudus recently played in Ghana’s 2-1 win over Mali and 4-3 win over Central African Republic in 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
Former Ghana coach Charles Kwabla Akonnor has disclosed that his experience during his time as coach of Asante Kotoko was key as he switched to love the Porcupine Warriors despite being Hearts of Oak fan.
Akonnor was appointed as the head coach of Kotoko, replacing Paa Kwesi Fabin in 2018 on a two-year deal.
He served for nine months, helping them to win the 2019 GFA Normalisation Committee Special Competition and qualify for the 2019/20 CAF Champions League. In July 2019, he was sacked by Kotoko and replaced by Kjetil Zachariassen.
“To be honest with you I was Hearts of Oak supporter but I became to love Kotoko because of what I experienced when I went there. My house, my family were all Hearts supporters. My father is Hearts of Oak man,” he told Metro TV’s Good Evening Ghana
“I was seen in more professional way. If am with Kotoko I want to beat Hearts and if am with Hearts I want to beat Kotoko. No doubt about it.”
Akonnor added, “So when you went to Hearts of Oak did you feel like you have come home? “I felt like I was working and I had to be professional, give all my best for the team. I don’t look at it on that fan perspective but as a job that has been given they pay me so I have to give my best to the club.”
Black Stars Head Coach C. K Akonnor has named a 29-man squad for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against South Africa and Sao Tome and Principe. The team is a mixture of home based and others who play abroad.
Coach Akonnor who has been training with home-based players in Accra for the past four weeks has settled on Nine of those players for the two crucial games.
They include Gladson Awako, Joseph Esso, Ismael Ganiyu, Razak Abalora, Eric Ofori Antwi and Kwame Opoku.
Black Satellites trio, Danlad Ibrahim, Philemon Baffuor and Abdul Fatawu Issahaku have also been named.
In the squad are Stephen Ambrosius of Hamburger SV in Germany, Kamal Sowah of OH Leuven in Belgium, Kwasi Okyere Wriedt of Willem II in Holland, Kwame Afriyie Opoku of Colchester United, Osman Bukari of Gent and Emmanuel Gyasi of Spezia FC in Italy.
Ghana will take on South Africa on March 25 in Johannesburg before engaging Sao Tome and Principe on March 29, 2021 at the Accra Sports stadium.
The Black Stars sit at the top of Group C with 9 points and are in search of one of the tickets to the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon.
The squad:
Goalkeepers: Richard Ofori (Orlando Pirates South Africa), Razak Abalora (Asante Kotoko – Ghana), Eric Ofori Antwi (Medeama SC – Ghana), Danlad Ibrahim (Asante Kotoko- Ghana)
Full Backs: Baba Abdul Rahman (PAOK Greece), Gideon Mensah (Vitória de Guimarães Portugal), Benson Annan (MLK Zilina Slovakia), Philemon Baffuor (Dreams FC Ghana)
Central Defenders: Nicholas Opoku (Amiens SC France), Kasim Nuhu (1899 Hoffenheim Germany), Ganiyu Ismael (Asante Kotoko Ghana), Stephen Ambrosius (Hamburger SV Germany)
Reverend Dr Kofi Amfo-Akonnor, Koforidua District Minister of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana (PCG), has urged all Ghanaians to forgive and live in peace with others, to reflect the meaning of the birth of Jesus Christ, the saviour.
He indicated that Christmas signified the gift of forgiveness and entreated all to be kind, tender-hearted and forgiving towards one another just as God, through the birth of Our Lord Jesus Christ, forgave man.
The District Pastor who was delivering a sermon on the theme “Peace” at the Ascension Congregation in Koforidua, said begrudging others led to pain and bitterness which did not promote peace in society and the nation at large.
He said, in order to be at peace with God, human beings must be at peace with each other and called on all Ghanaians to reflect on the goodness of God despite the COVID-19 pandemic this year use the Christmas as an opportunity to make peace with each other.
He said God had been gracious unto Ghanaians and it behoved on us all to be thankful to God by forgiving each other and reminded Ghanaians that salvation and Christianity was not only about going to church but living a life devoid of greed and wickedness.
Ghana ends the year 2020 as the 52nd best men’s national football team in the world, according to the latest Fifa Rankings.
Released on Thursday on Fifa’s official website, the new table sees the Black Stars, sandwiched between Greece (51) and Costa Rica (53), locked on their position from last month, also with no change in the total accumulated points.
The lack of movement, which was generally the case of all other nations on the ranking, is a result of the team’s activity since the last ranking was announced in November.
Ghana produced a mixed bag of results in their last set of international assignments, beating Sudan 1-0 in the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifier in Cape Coast courtesy of an Andre Ayew double but fell 1-0 away in the reverse fixture in Omdurman as Mohamed Abdelrahman struck late to win all three points for his side.
The scores saw the CK Akonnor’s side drop down by four places on the November edition of the rankings.
At the continental level, Ghana still hold eighth position, just above Mali (57) and Burkina Faso (58) in Africa’s Top 10. Senegal (20) continue to lead the pack, followed by Tunisia (26), Algeria (31), Morocco (35), Nigeria (35), Egypt (49) and Cameroon (50).
The mixed results against Sudan also saw Ghana move from sixth to eighth on the continent in the November ranking.
Back on the world table, there was no change among the top 57 countries due to the only two recognised international matches played across the globe since the last update.
Belgium are still top of the table, their third straight time of finishing the year as leaders, while France, Brazil, England and Portugal hold the second, third, fourth and fifth positions respectively. Spain, Argentina, Uruguay, Mexico and Italy, in that order, sit sixth to tenth.
Ghana returns to action on March 2021 with an Afcon 2022 qualifying double-header against South Africa (away) and Sao Tome and Principe (home) to conclude the series. The 2022 World Cup qualifiers will then take centre stage for the rest of the year.
According to Fifa, the next edition of the world rankings will be announced on February 18, 2021.
Black Stars coach C.K Akonnor has intensified interest in the Ghana Premier League after attending the game between Hearts of Oak and Karela United on Friday night.
Prior to Friday’s match, the former Kotoko gaffer was at Great Olympics training grounds to watch them as part of his monitoring of local players.
Last night’s game was the second Hearts of Oak game he watched, after the game between the Accra giants and Inter Allies last week.
He was accompanied by Technical Director of the Ghana Football Association Bernhard Lippert.
Akonnor has already indicated his willingness to give local players the chances, after invites to Kotoko’s duo Christopher Nettey and Razak Abalora as well as Kwadwo Amoako of Ashantigold.
The game between Hearts and Karela United ended in a goalless stalemate, but Akonnor’s presence was enough motivation for the locally based players.
The former Ghana captain is becoming the first Black Stars coach in over a decade to pay attention to the domestic league.
Ghana coach Charles CK Akonnor has unleased Mubarak Wakaso and Jeffrey Schlupp in his crack starting line-up to face Sudan on Tuesday in their 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier, Ghanasoccernet.com can exclusively reveal.
The Black Stars coach will also use two proven strikers in Caleb Ekuban and captain Jordan Ayew in his starting team, serving his intention of attacking the opponent even though they would be playing the match as visitors in Omdurman.
True to the prediction of Ghana’s leading football news outfit, the Black Stars coach has named a largely changed starting team to face the Nile Crocodiles in Group C.
Injuries to substantive captain Andre Ayew and winger Samuel Owusu has forced the coach to make some changes while augmenting the starting line-up with the arrival of the more experienced Wakaso and Schlupp.
In-form St. Gallen FC goalie Lawrence Ati-Zigi has been given the nod to start between sticks ahead of returnee Fatau Dauda.
Surprisingly, central defender Nicholas Opoku will play from the right-back while Baba Rahman maintains his place at the left side of the defence.
John Boye and Alexander Djiku will also maintain their position at the centre of the defence while Wakaso will partner Afriyie Acquah in central midfield.
This makes the Black Stars defence and midfield perhaps the strongest in recent times with several in-form or experienced players starting in the match.
Tarique Fosu will also maintain his place on the right side of the midfield while Schlupp will play from his favourite position of the left side of midfield.
Ekuban will play as the lone striker while Jordan Ayew will take the role of the playmaker to provide the needed threat to draw out the opponents who have been strong in defending.
Ghana have a perfect record in the qualifiers for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations and a victory for the Black Stars on Tuesday take them through to the tournament in Cameroon.
The Black Stars defeated Sudan 2-0 in their previous fixture played in Cape Coast on Thursday with Andre Ayew scoring both goals in the game.
Black Stars starting line-up
Lawrence Ati-Zigi, Nicholas Opoku, Baba Rahman, John Boye, Alexander Djiku, Afriyie Acquah, Tarique Fosu Mubarak Wakaso, Caleb Ekuban, Jordan Ayew, Jeff Schlupp.
Ghana coach Charles Kwablan Akonnor has received alot of praises from the fans following his team’s impressive display against Qatar on Monday in the international friendly.
Akonnor recorded his first win as head coach of the Black Stars in his side’s 5-1 win against the 2019 Asian Champions at the Titanic Sports Stadium.
Goals from captain Andre Ayew (2X), Samuel Owusu, Caleb Ekuban and Tariq Fosu help CK Akonnor to pick his first win in his second game.
The former Asante Kotoko coach had come under severe criticism following Ghana’s abysmal performance against Mali on Friday which they lost 3-0 at the Emir Sports Complex.
Ghana responded strongly with a powerful performance as they thrashed the Asian Champions to help Akonnor record his first win as head coach.
Some of the fans compared the Black Stars to that of a UEFA Champions League winning team whilst others were impressed with the improvement in the performance on the pitch.
Former Ghana international, Frimpong Manso has said that Black Stars coach Charles Akonnor will need time to build a winsome side for the national team after suffering a humiliating defeat.
The friendly game was Charles Akonnor’s debut game as Black Stars coach since his appointment early this year.
The Black Stars led by Captain Andre Dede Ayew were dominated and beaten by the Malians throughout the entire duration of the game.
Assessing CK Akonnor’s defeat in his first game and the performance of the players he said:”Its too early to say that coach CK Akunnor is not capable of handling the national team,its just one match he has played. Let have the patience for him and support him”, he told Space FM.
“The formation deployed doesn’t account to the loss, but the players didn’t perform well.”
Ghana will take on Asian champions Qatar in their second friendly game on Monday.
Akonnor will be searching for his first win as head coach of the Black Stars.
Black Stars coach, Charles Kwablan Akonnor, is expecting most of the players called up for the international friendlies against Mali and Qatar tonight in Turkey.
Ten players have already arrived in camp including newboys Emmanuel Lomotey, Eugene Ansah, Benson Annang and Kamaldeen Sulemana.
The other players in the squad in Antalya are Goalkeepers Razak Abalora and Lawrence Ati Zigi, Real Mallorca midfielder Baba Iddrisu, Al Fayha winger Samuel Owusu and Gideon Mensah.
The rest of the players are expected to arrive in camp this evening.
Goalkeeper Richard Ofori, forward John Antwi and Lumor Agbenyenu will be missing the game for different reasons, but C.K Akonnor has handed late call ups to Turkey based Caleb Ekuban and Joseph Painstil.
Ghana will play African rivals Mali on Friday before engaging Qatar three days later in Turkey.
The team will hold its first training session at the Emir Sports complex in Antalya, Tuesday afternoon.
Ghana coach Charles Akonnor has once again left out John Boye from his squad for the upcoming friendly against Mali after the FC Metz captain faced the same fate for the West African giants AFCON 2021 double-header qualifiers against Sudan last March.
On Friday, Akonnor announced his squad for October’s international friendly via the Ghana FA live Facebook broadcast dubbed GFA News.
There were some notable absentees in the call-ups for the friendly encounter against West African neighbours Mali.
Key players such as Kwadwo Asamoah, Mubarak Wakaso, Afriyie Acquah, Christian Atsu, Daniel Amartey, Jonathan Mensah and John Boye were axed from the squad ahead of the game which is scheduled to come off in Turkey.
It is however shocking that John Boye has to find himself in the wrong books of the quick-tempered trainer once again despite his distinctive performance in the French Ligue 1 this term.
Akonnor has not hidden his aversion towards John Boye since taking over the reins of the Black Stars job after the player’s latest snub.
It can be recalled that in March the former Asante Kotoko gaffer came under the magnifying glass amongst sports journalists who have been following the performance of Ghanaian players in Europe after he left out the experienced defender for the postponed AFCON 2021 qualifiers against Sudan.
During the March press conference, Isaac Asempah, who works with Zylofon FM, asked Akonnor why he omitted Boye from the squad but the 46-year-old coach sarcastically replied the journalist whether Boye is his brother or his in-law.
Meanwhile, Akonnor has called up Alexander Djiku, Joseph Aidoo, Nicholas Opoku and Kassim Nuhu.
Comparatively, none of the aforementioned centre-backs have churned out many playing minutes at their respective clubs than the FC Metz skipper for the past two seasons.
Djiku, who joined Strasbourg last season from SM Caen scored one goal in 25 matches for the club before the French top-flight was cancelled after the Coronavirus outbreak.
Opoku and Nuhu combined, played 22 matches for Fortuna Dusseldorf and SC Amiens respectively last season.
Aidoo appears to be the only defender whose performance last season could match Boye’s after making 15 appearances for Celta Vigo in the Spanish LaLiga.
Former Ghana international Nii Odartey Lamptey has commended coach Charles Kwablan Akonnor on his choice for leadership of the Black Stars.Â
C.K Akonnor retained Andre Ayew as captain of the Black Stars, with Atletico Madrid star Thomas Partey and goalkeeper Richard Ofori appointed as his deputies.
Public opinion has been divided especially with his selection of his vice captains, with fans of the Black Stars opting for Mubarak Wakaso.
However, Nii Odartey Lamptey believes the decision of the coach was the best and came at the right time.
“I think we’ve learnt as a Nation, and it’s the right decision and a right time for Coach CK Akonnor to choose his captains before tournament,” he told Ahomka FM.
“The three players chosen by Coach CK Akonnor are the best per their performances in their various clubs,”he added.
“I don’t think Coach CK Akonnor was doing this to retire Asamoah Gyan, unless he Asamoah Gyan retire himself from the National team.”
Ex-Ghana midfielder Mohammed Gargo believes sports journalists are partly to be blamed for the country’s trophy drought.
But the ex-Udinese and Genoa star suggested the media practitioners have been influencing player selection for the Black Stars.
Ghana has been without a continental title since 1982 when they won a fourth Africa Cup of Nations title in Libya.
”Political interference, lack of consistency in player call-ups and sports journalists are the causes of the failure of the Black Stars to win a trophy,” Gargo told Akoma FM.
Gargo has advised new Ghana coach CK Akonnor to be firm in order to succeed with the national team.
”Coach CK Akonnor must be tough and should not countenance any nonsense from any one,” he added.
”He needs experienced former stars to help him not showbiz people and musicians as we saw at the World Cup.
”CK Akonnor can competently handle the Black Stars job very well if he allows experienced former players to advice him.”
The Ministry of Youth and Sports and the Ghana Football Association have reached an agreement to pay Black Stars coach C.K Akonnor a whooping $20,000 salary a month.
Charles Kwablan Akonnor was named coach of the senior national team in January after a brief spell as assistant to former gaffer Kwesi Appiah.
His assistant David Duncan will receive $ 10,000 as his monthly salary with the other national team coaches taking between $5000 to $2000 per month.
The Ghana Football Association will hand the official contract to the various coaches in the coming days as they usher in a new era.
C.K Akonnor made 41 appearances and scored 12 goals for Ghana before beginning his coaching career at Sekondi Eleven Wise.
He went on to coach Hearts of Oak, Dreams FC, Ashantigold and Asante Kotoko.
The Ministry of Youth and Sports and the Ghana Football Association have reached an agreement to pay Black Stars coach C.K Akonnor a whooping $20,000 salary a month.
Charles Kwablan Akonnor was named coach of the senior national team in January after a brief spell as assistant to former gaffer Kwesi Appiah.
His assistant David Duncan will receive $ 10,000 as his monthly salary with the other national team coaches taking between $5000 to $2000 per month.
The Ghana Football Association will hand the official contract to the various coaches in the coming days as they usher in a new era.
C.K Akonnor made 41 appearances and scored 12 goals for Ghana before beginning his coaching career at Sekondi Eleven Wise.
He went on to coach Hearts of Oak, Dreams FC, Ashantigold and Asante Kotoko.
Ghana coach CK Akonnor has met with Vincent Kompany, former Belgium and Manchester City captain and current player cum manager of Belgian side Anderlecht, as the former continues his European tour.
Akonnor, appointed Black Stars coach in January, is currently on a player monitoring exercise as he prepares to name his maiden squad for a 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying double-header against Sudan next month.
A photo posted by the Ghana Football Association (GFA) captured the 45-year-old in a moment with the defender, who won the English Premier League on five occasions with Manchester City.
The post comes days after Akonnor held meetings with Anderlecht duo of Ghanaian descent Jeremy Doku and Francis Amuzu about the possibility of ditching Belgium, for whom they currently play for at youth level, to represent Ghana.
The coach also met with French-born of Ghanaian descent Elisha Owusu, 22, who currently plays for Belgian side Gent.
Akonnor, who is also expected touch base with players in Germany and Spain before leaving back for Ghana, initially landed in England where he held discussions with the Black Stars quartet of captain Andre Ayew, Jordan Ayew, Christian Atsu and Jeffrey Schlupp as well as English-born attacker Tariq Fosu.
Ghana captain Andre Ayew has expressed gratitude to coach C.K Akonnor for paying him and his brother a visit in England.
Akonnor met the brothers, who are a key part of the senior national team, to discuss the way forward for the Black Stars ahead of the next international assignment.
“It is an honour for the coach to visit. He has been there before as a captain and understands the situation of wanting to do well for not only us but for all Ghanaians,” Ayew said after Akonnor’s visit.
“We have had a great meeting. We have a double header and it is good that we win and secure qualification in our quest to bring back the Africa Cup,” the Swansea star added.
The Ayew brothers have been influential to the senior national team with Andre the captain of the Black Stars.
Both players are enjoying a good season in England and Wales with the brothers leading the scoring charts for their respective clubs.
The Black Stars will next face Sudan in the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers on March 22, 2020.
Ghana coach Charles Kwablan Akonnor insists the Black Stars will ‘work hard’ to qualify for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
The four times African champions have been drawn alongside South Africa, Zimbabwe and Ethiopia in group G of the Africa WC qualifiers.
After failing to qualify to the mundial in 2018, C.K Akonnor believes Ghana has what it takes to reach Qatar but insists they will have to work for it.
“We know all the teams South Africa, Zimbabwe and Ethiopia will do their bit to get there but we will put in hard work and we know that hard work pays,” said the 45-year old after the draw.
“The last one we went to was in Brazil, we didn’t qualify for the last one and we are hoping and believing that this is the time for us to be back there.
“But it is important for us to put in hard work. It is the desire for all the teams to qualify but we will put a lot of work in the desire to qualify.”
The West Africa giants have been to three World Cup and are among the list of three countries from the continent to reach the quarter finals of the competition.
The former Hearts of Oak and Asante Kotoko manager replaced Ibrahim Tanko as deputy trainer late last month for the four-time Africa champions ahead of the two qualifying matches.
The 45-year-old made his first appearance at the team’s training on Monday as they begin preparations for the two games.
Ten outfield players led by skipper Andre Ayew and three goalkeepers training at the Accra Sports Stadium ahead of Thursday’s clash.
Some of the other players who turned up for the first day of training are Jordan Ayew, Nuhu Adams, Samuel Owusu, Gideon Mensah, Tawrick Jebrin and the three goalkeepers Richard Ofori, Felix Annan and Razak Abalora.
