Charles Akonnor

Charles Kwabla Akonnor (born 12 March 1974 in Accra) is a former Ghanaian international footballer who is the current manager of the Ghana national team.[2] He played as a versatile midfielder, mostly in Germany.[3]

Charles Akonnor
Personal information
Full name Charles Kwabla Akonnor
Date of birth (1974-03-12) 12 March 1974[1]
Place of birth Accra, Ghana
Height 1.82 m (5 ft 11 1⁄2 in)
Position(s) Central midfielder
Club information
Current team
 Ghana (manager)
Youth career
1985–1987 Young Hearts Tema
1988–1990 Okwawu United
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1990–1992 Obuasi Goldfields
1992–1998 Fortuna Köln 153 (26)
1998–2003 VfL Wolfsburg 121 (13)
2004–2005 SpVgg Unterhaching 46 (4)
2005–2007 AC Horsens 44 (5)
2007–2008 Alki Larnaca FC
2008–2009 SC Langenhagen 11 (0)
National team
1991–2001 Ghana 41 (12)
Teams managed
2009-2010 Sekondi Wise Fighters
2010–2012 Sekondi Wise Fighters (director of sport)
2012 Hearts of Oak
2014 Ashanti Gold
2017–2018 Ashanti Gold
2018–2019 Asante Kotoko
2019–2020 Ghana (assistant coach)
2020– Ghana
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Club career

Akonnor first came to Germany in 1992, along with friend and national teammate Samuel Kuffour. Having played for six years with Fortuna Köln (all in the second division), he switched in 1998 to VfL Wolfsburg.

At Wolfsburg, Akonnor quickly developed as a resourceful player and one of the team's most important elements and, in 2001–02, was given team captaincy. However, at the start of the following season he was injured (a knee problem which required an operation in 2003), prompting a January 2004 move to SpVgg Unterhaching, in a second-level return.

In 2005, Akonnor moved to Denmark to play with AC Horsens, playing an important part in the team's consolidation in the Danish Superliga, where they had just arrived in the previous season. He played one final season in Cyprus' top flight, with Alki Larnaca FC. In Summer 2008 left Cyprus and moved to Germany based club SC Langenhagen in the Oberliga Niedersachenliga-West. He played there until 18 February 2009 when he announced the end of his career.

International career

A holder of 41 international caps, Akonnor was named captain of the Black Stars following Abedi Pele's retirement. However, he would never be recalled again after applying for (and receiving) German citizenship.

Coaching career

On 19 February 2009, Akunnor signed a contract as head coach for Sekondi Wise Fighters where he worked with his former nationalteam mate Nii Lamptey as his assistant.[4] On 22 January 2010, he was named as the director of sport of the Sekondi Wise Fighters. His successor as head coach was Hans-Dieter Schmidt.[5]

Accra Hearts of Oak

On 19 March 2012, Akonnor was named as head coach of the Glo Premier League club Hearts of Oak. His predecessor as head coach was Nebojša Vučićević.[6]

Asante Kotoko

On 1 October 2018, he was appointed as the head coach of Asante Kotoko,[7][8] where he served for nine months.[9]

Ghana National Team

In September 2019, he was shortlisted for the head coach of the Guinea national team role but French national Didier Six was given the position.[10]

In early January 2020, his appointment as assistant coach of the Ghana national team was terminated. This happened as a result of the Ghana Football Association's decision to dissolve the technical crews of the senior teams.[11] However, he was appointed as the head coach of Ghana on 15 January 2020.[12] David Duncan was appointed as his assistant.[13][14]

Managerial Role
Team From To Role Ref.
Sekondi Wise Fighters Feb. 2009 Jan. 2010 Head Coach [15][4]
Sekondi Wise Fighters Jan. 2010 Director of Sport [5]
Hearts of Oak Mar. 2012 Nov.2012 Head Coach [16]
Dream FC Head Coach [17]
Ashantigold Football Club Apr. 2017 Jul. 2018 Head Coach [18]
Asante Kotoko Oct. 2018 Jul. 2019 Head Coach [7][19]
Ghana National Team Oct. 2019 Jan. 2020 Assistant Coach [20]
Ghana National Team Jan. 2020 Present Head Coach [21]

Personal life

His son Charles Jesaja Herrmann is also a footballer who plays as a forward; he came through the youth system at VfL Wolfsburg.[22][23]

References
  1. "Ghana - C. Akonnor - Profile with news, career statistics and history - Soccerway". uk.soccerway.com. Retrieved 29 December 2019.
  2. "CK Akunnor set to be named new Ghana coach". www.myjoyonline.com. Retrieved 22 January 2020.
  3. "10 things you need to know about CK Akonnor". www.myjoyonline.com. Retrieved 22 January 2020.
  4. "Former Internationals to Coach Eleven Wise". MTN Football. 18 February 2009. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 10 January 2010.
  5. "Sekondi XI Wise announces changes". Official site. Happy 98.8 FM. 22 January 2010. Archived from the original on 31 July 2013. Retrieved 23 January 2010.
  6. "Hearts reach deal with CK Akunnor". Modernghana.com. 20 March 2012. Retrieved 27 March 2012.
  7. Charles Akonnor feels 'privileged' to be handed Asante Kotoko job, ghanasoccernet.com, 1 October 2018
  8. "Official: CK Akonnor is Asante Kotoko new head coach". Citi Sports Online. 1 October 2018. Retrieved 22 January 2020.
  9. "Kotoko gave me a better platform – CK AKonnor". www.myjoyonline.com. Archived from the original on 26 September 2019. Retrieved 26 September 2019.
  10. "CK Akonnor misses out on Guinea National team Coach job – Ghana Sports Online". Retrieved 26 September 2019.
  11. "GFA sacks all national team coaches". Graphic Online. 2 January 2020. Retrieved 3 January 2020.
  12. "Ex-captain C.K Akonnor appointed as Black Stars Head Coach". Ghana Football Association. 15 January 2020.
  13. "Black Stars: CK Akonnor named Head Coach of Ghana". Graphic Online. 15 January 2020. Retrieved 16 January 2020.
  14. "Ghana appoint Charles 'CK' Akonnor as new Black Stars coach". BBC Sport. 15 January 2020. Retrieved 21 January 2020.
  15. "I'm indebted to Eleven Wise - CK Akonnor". www.ghanaweb.com. Retrieved 22 January 2020.
  16. "Hearts fires Akonnor, accepts Laryea's apology".
  17. "CK Akonnor confirms Dreams FC departure". www.myjoyonline.com. 29 November 2017. Retrieved 22 January 2020.
  18. "C K Akonnor returns to ashgold as new head coach".
  19. "Asante Kotoko ask CK Akonnor to step aside – Reports". Citi Sports Online. 3 July 2019. Retrieved 22 January 2020.
  20. "CK Akonnor appointed Black Stars assistant coach". www.ghanaweb.com. Retrieved 22 January 2020.
  21. "Confirmed: AkunnorDuncan handed Black Stars job". ghananewsagency.org. Retrieved 22 January 2020.
  22. "CK Akunnor's son nets a brace for Wolfsburg". Ghana MMA. 27 September 2018. Retrieved 2 October 2018.
  23. "C. Herrmann". Soccerway. Retrieved 2 October 2018.


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