Who invited the players? - JE Sarpong

Veteran Ghana coach JE Sarpong has claimed the Football Association is on a mission to see the back of Black Stars coach Charles Akonnor.

Akonnor has recently been in the news, particularly for reportedly denying responsibility for the call-up of some players in the 29-man squad announced by the FA for the upcoming 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against South Africa and Sao Tome and Principe.

The inclusion of UK-born Kwame Poku, who plays club football for Colchester United in the English fourth tier, in the squad has generated the most criticism.

“We need to investigate and find out who invited the player to come whether it was CK or somebody else. We cannot only blame CK," former Ghana U23 and Asante Kotoko coach Sarpong told Happy FM.

"For me coach Sarpong if you interfere with my selection I will resign. I will not allow anybody to interfere in my team selection. If it goes wrong, you the coach will be sacrificed; he [Akonnor] has to put his foot down.

"From where I sit, CK is not in charge of the team. There has been an agenda to sack CK Akonnor long ago, but they don’t know how to do it.

"Let’s go and play the games against South Africa and Sao Tome, something will happen. The technical director [Bernhard] Lippert will be asked to take over the team temporarily."

Akonnor assumed duty as Ghana coach in January last year following the exit of James Kwasi Appiah, who lost favour following the Black Stars' poor performance at the 2019 Afcon tournament in Egypt.

So far, the former Wolfsburg captain has supervised four matches as Ghana boss, winning two and losing two.

"When you are appointed as the coach, you must act like one. He [Akonnor] must take players that he thinks can help his course and drop those who cannot help achieve his target," former Ghana U23 coach Abdul Malik Jabir said on the subject."

"If the Football Association wants to sack him for being firm on his decisions, then so be it."

"CK Akonnor must be strong mentally and act as a coach to avoid influence from other people in order to achieve his goal."

Ghana faces South Africa away in Johannesburg on Thursday before returning home to take on Sao Tome on Sunday.