Former Black Stars coach Charles Akonnor has opened up about the difficulties he encountered when justifying his player selections during his time in charge.
Akonnor, who took over from Kwesi Appiah in 2020 after Ghana’s Round of 16 elimination at the AFCON in Egypt, shared his experiences during an interview on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show.
Reflecting on his tenure, he acknowledged that tensions frequently arose between him and the Ghana Football Association (GFA) regarding squad decisions.
Akonnor described the team selection process as disorganised and often fraught with disagreements.
“As a coach, you draw the list of players you want to use based on what you want to do. Obviously, other members of the FA will also bring their views on board, but it was sometimes uncomfortable,” he said.
“I understand that they have to look into it and that football isn’t done by one person alone. However, in my case, it wasn’t a situation where we were working together. It was a mess. When I went in to justify my selections, it was always very uncomfortable,” he added.
Player selection for the national team has often sparked debate among Ghanaians, with concerns over whether choices are merit-based or swayed by external influences.
Akonnor’s remarks shed light on the widespread perception that the Ghana Football Association (GFA) heavily influences these decisions.
In the meantime, the Black Stars are set to wrap up their 2025 AFCON qualifiers with a home game against Niger. Unfortunately, the team will miss out on next year’s AFCON in Morocco after failing to qualify.