Prove that local coaches can handle Black Stars – Jerome Otchere to new Black Stars coaches

Ace sports journalist Jerome Otchere has opined that the appointment of CK Akonnor as Black Stars coach by the GFA is a test case for whether local coaches can handle the Black Stars or not.

Akonnor is the latest Ghanaian to handle the Black Stars after compatriot Kwasi Appiah was shown the exit door by the FA.

Prior to the naming of Akonnor, the were submissions by some Ghanaians that local coaches lack the competence to handle the Black Stars.

Rumours were also rife that most of the foreign-based Black Stars players did not accord Kwasi Appiah respect simply because of his nationality.

Jerome Otchere told ghanaweb.com in an interview that the performance of the Black Stars under Akonnor who will be assisted by another local coach in David Duncan will have a bearing on the nationality or race of the next Ghana coach.

Revealing his expectations of the current technical team of the Black Stars, Jerome said his desire is to see the team win AFCON trophies and also go beyond the quarter-final success it chalked at the 2010 World Cup.

Jerome also expects Akonnor to instil discipline in the team and ensure the players accord him the respect as the leader of the team.

“I expect them to win the AFCON and get us to the next World Cup. I expect them to also still discipline in the team. I am one of those who think it's wrong for us to say a local coach can’t handle the Black Stars because the players who play abroad will not respect them. Look, it is about how we go about the work. If you know your job as a coach, you should know how to manage players who supposedly do not respect. I expect them to instil discipline in the team”.

Jerome made a clarion call on Ghanaians to support the new technical team.

“I also expect Ghanaians to throw our weight behind the team because at the end of the day we all want the team to win so if we are not going to support them because of our preferences are not there, that won’t be right. We just have to make them understand that they are our own and we want them to achieve the best.