As an avid student of football, C.K Akonnor has endured a mixed bag that the game presents, with his career spanning over two decades.
From the pressures of an on field sporting personality, the retired ex-Ghana captain knows a thrilling test awaits him when he takes his place in the dugout in his yet to be fulfilled managerial profession.
His playing career started with local sides like Young Hearts - a youth side in Tema, Okwawu United and AshantiGold - then Obuasi Goldfields - before making the move abroad in 1992 with Germany his next destination.
He started with Fortuna Koln in the Bundesliga II where he enjoyed a six-year spell before signing up for VFL Wolfsburg in 1998. At Wolfsburg, the former Ghana international rose to become the captain in the 2001-02 season. He left Wolfsburg to join SpVgg Unterhaching in January 2004.
He ended time in Germany in 2005 when he moved to Danish side, AC Horsens, helping them gain promotion to the first division.
Akonnor then made another move, this time to join Cyprus' top flight, with Alki Larnaca FC.
The ex-Ghana captain made a return to where it all started in his European sojourn, Germany and in the summer of 2008, he signed for SC Langenhagen, a regional league side.
As Akonnor retires he certainly does not want to join the people in the VIP stands at the stadium, become a TV pundit or a traveler going to see games.
Before he called it time on his career, C.K Akonnor was presented with a fine opportunity to really pick his steps, which he has gracefully done with his next target still in the football industry.
Capped 48 times for the senior side, the Black Stars, the midfielder who took over the senior team’s captainship from Abedi Ayew Pele in 1998 says he first prepared for life as a coach by taking up a role in player management as his neared the end of his playing cycle.
“I will love to do it (coaching). I have watched coaches like Sam Arday over the years and I believe there are still many young coaches around, you can see Sellas Tetteh doing it. I will love to coach one of the national teams.
“But I want to start from the junior sides, thus either Under 17 or Under 20. I have to start from somewhere,” he said in an interview.
“It would be nice to understudy maybe Sellas or someone in one of the junior national teams with the support of the Ghana Football Association. From there, I would gain enough experience.”
Understudy role for starters
Even before that understudy stint comes to fruition, Akonnor is doing his badges to enable him make a smooth transition into the difficult arena of coaching.
According to the ex-Ghana captain, he is yet to do the UEFA ‘B’ class coach’s license after acquiring the UEFA ‘C’ level qualification.
“I need to do lots of courses to really prepare me. Getting experience is key and I need to get some courses done. The game has changed over the years. It doesn’t just take a footballer to get into coaching.
“The training methods and tactical approach of the game is not the same like 10 years ago, so I need to keep pace with the current methods and fashion out my own style along the systems.”
However, C.K Akonnor is hopeful that his experience puts him in a good stead to do the job at the highest level.
“With my experience in professional football, I think I am capable of meeting the challenges. I have played fifteen years; that alone should be able to give me the benefit to be able coach, to teach some of the young ones.
“The experience that I have had, I should be able to give it to them (younger players). I believe and I know I can do it. I have been there and I know what it is,” he added.
After a good playing career, Akonnor knows that he does not necessarily become a natural manager but retiring to be a fan is not in his plans. He concedes that he has to work to make it in coaching.
“I will have good people around me who will advice me. It’s a big challenge. I think it’s an everyday job where you always need to learn and improve.
“I am ready to do it, I want to do it. I just need the chance.”
Akonnor’s playing time came with the criticisms associated with the sport which is driven by passion and largely backed by investments.
He welcomes the pressures of the game in the dugout and says it’s been part of his career as he prepares to hit 35 this year.
“There’s always pressure in the game. Even, you sometimes get criticised when you win. That aspect of the can never change and once you decide to be involved, you need to live with it.”
