Profile of Black Stars coach Charles Akonnor

Get to know more about the coach of the Ghana senior national team, Black Stars.

Full Name: Charles Kwablan Akonnor

Date of Birth: March 12, 1974.

Place of Birth: Nungua - Accra

Nationality: Ghanaian

Marital Status: Married

Age: 46 years

Charles Kwablan Akonnor hails from Ningo Prampram in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana but he was born at Nungua, a suburb of Accra on March 12, 1974. He had his Basic/Junior High School education at Nungua Primary School and proceeded to the Nungua Presbyterian Secondary (Senior High) School for his secondary education.

Playing career

During his school days, he was an integral member of his school team. Akonnor represented his school in Juvenile Championships and other Inter-Collages games before he was spotted by Obuasi Goldfields, helping him to pursue an active career in football. He was a unifier wherever he found himself during his playing days, as well as helping to accelerate team goals. With this strong character, he achieved a lot in the field of play. Akonnor was spotted at a very young age when he graduated straight from colts to join former Premier League giants Okwahu United in 1988.

Club football:

2005-2006 - AC Horsens (Denmark)

2004-2005 - SpVgg Unterhaching (Germany)

1998-2003 – VfL Wolfsburg (Germany)

1993-1998 – Fortuna Koln (Germany)

1990-1992 - Obuasi Goldfields (Ghana)

1988 -1990 – Okwahu United (Ghana)

1985 – 1988 – Young Hearts (Tema – Colts)

National team

1993-2001 - Ghana Black Stars

1995-1996 - Ghana National U-23 (Black Meteors)

1992-1993 - Ghana National U-20 (Black Satellites)

Achievements as a player

1999 – 2004 – Captain, Ghana Black Stars

2000 - UEFA Cup- Wolfsburg

Played in four (4) Africa Cup of Nations - (1994, 1996, 1998, 2000)

1998 – Named in CAF African 11 Team of the Year

Atlanta 1996 Olympic Games- Quarterfinalist (Ghana National U-23 Olympic Team)

FIFA U-20 World Cup, Australia 1993 - Silver Medal

51 International Caps – Ghana

CAF U-20, Egypt 1992 – Bronze Medal

Leadership roles

1999-2004 - Captain, Ghana Black Stars

2000-2002 - Captain, VFL Wolfsburg

1996 - Captain, Ghana Olympic Team, Atlanta 1996 Olympic Games

Coaching

CK Akonnor is a well-organized team player, detail-oriented, and a man who is able to handle multiple tasks with nine years of coaching experience. He is a perfectionist and always wants to achieve the best out of the lot, an achiever who fears less in taking risks. He ventured into football coaching right after his professional career and holds CAF Coaching License ‘A’ and UEFA Coaching License ‘C’ and ‘B’. He has had various coaching attachments at Tottenham Hotspurs in 2017, Celtic, Scotland 2015, VFL Wolfsburg, Germany in 2012, FC Nuremberg, Germany in 2010, and Manchester City, the UK in 2010. Here are teams he has managed and achievements as a coach:

Teams managed

October 2018 – July 2019 - Head Coach of Asante Kotoko SC

Jan 2017- July 2018 - Head Coach, AshGold FC

2014 - Jan 17 - Head Coach, Dreams FC

2012-13 - Head Coach, Accra Hearts of Oak, Ghana Premier League

2011-12 - Deputy Coach, Ghana National U-20 Team, Black Satellite

2010-11 - Deputy Coach, Ghana National U-17 Team, Black Starlets

2010 - Head Coach, Right to Dream Academy U-17

2011 - Director of Sports, Sekondi 11 Wise

2009 - Head Coach, Sekondi 11 Wise

Achievement as a coach

2018/2019 Coach of the year, Ghana Football Awards

2018/2019 team of the year award, Asante Kotoko Sporting Club - Ghana Football Awards

Guided Asante Kotoko to qualify for the 2019/20 CAF Champions League.

Guided Asante Kotoko to win the 2019 Ghana Premier League (Normalization Cup, Tier 1)

Guided Asante Kotoko to the Group stage of the CAF Confederation Cup in 2019

Became the first Asante Kotoko coach to win 3 out of 4 matches in CAF Interclub competitions in 27 years

(Kariobangi Sharks 0-0 Kotoko, Kotoko 2-1 Kariobangi Sharks, Cotton Sport Garoua 2-3, Kotoko 2-1 Coton Sport Garoua)

Became the 4th Asante Kotoko Coach to reach the group stage of CAF Confederation Cup in 15 years

Guided AshGold to 2nd position in the 2017/18 Ghana Premier League

Guided AshGold to avoid relegation in the 2016/17 Ghana Premier League

Guided Accra Hearts of Oak to 3rd Place in the 2011/12 Ghana Premier League

Guided Dreams FC to Premier League Promotion (2015)

Special appointments

Charles Akonnor has over the years built an excellent interpersonal relationship with the sporting world, very cooperative and easy to work with, fluent in the German, Dutch, and English languages. He has served as a special appointee in various capacities;

April 2015 - Special appointment by VFL Wolfsburg as a development Coach to help youth football in Mexico Jan. 2015

2015 - Scout for Black Stars for 2015 AFCON in Equatorial Guinea

2014 - Scout for Ghana National Team (Black Stars) for FIFA World Cup in Brazil

Ambassadorial role for Black Stars in 2014 World Cup in Brazil, June 2010

Consultant Analyst, 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa for the African Union of Broadcasters (AUB).