Black Stars coach Kwesi Appiah has revealed the reasons behind his decision to choose Charles Kwablan Akonnor to be his assistant for the senior national team.
Akonnor in October was named the new deputy coach for the Black Stars as he will be assisting Kwesi Appiah for the upcoming AFCON 2021 qualifiers against South Africa and Sao Tome and Principe on Thursday and Monday respectively.
The 45-year-old has had stints with Hearts of Oak, Asante Kotoko, Ashanti Gold SC, Dreams FC, and Eleven Wise FC.
Speaking to the media after Black Stars maiden training ahead of the South Africa showdown, Kwesi Appiah said bringing CK Akonnor on board to be his right-hand man was because the ex-Ghana international has handled some big clubs in Ghana.
He added that he opted for a native assistant in order to build his capacity, for Ghana not to go looking for expatriates to manage our national teams in future.
“I think CK Akonnor has coached many of the big clubs in Ghana and I also have the believe that many coaches should be given the opportunity to be at the national team.
I don’t know maybe tomorrow I might say I am not coaching again who then do we all rely on, do we go back to the whites or we fall on our own.
So it’s important others people be given the opportunity to be closer to the players and then have the opportunity to see what we do on and off the pitch”
CK Akonnor was on duty on Monday as the Black Stars trained at the Accra Sports Stadium and the team is expected to leave for Cape Coast today to continue with preparations.
Ghana will host Bafana Bafana of South Africa at home on Thursday, November 14 at the Cape Coast Stadium, before travelling to São Tomé and Príncipe to face them on Monday, November 18.