The 51-year-old was handed the vacant role to sharpen the record Kenyan champions on a two-year contract after replacing Zedekiah ‘Zico’ Otieno and Michael Nam, who were fired after the team finished last season without silverware.
Akonnor, who is a former midfielder and spent most of his club career in Germany, will be assisted by another Ghanaian, Kobi-Mensah Bismark, while Ben Owu, also from Ghana, was appointed as goalkeepers coach. Meanwhile, Kenyan Brian Odongo was named the team doctor.
Confirming the arrival of Akonnor, who made 51 appearances for Ghana’s Black Stars, scoring 13 goals, Gor Mahia said: “We are delighted to announce the appointment of Charles Akonnor from Ghana as our new head coach on a two-year contract effective today, Friday, August 1st.
“The former Ghana Black Stars manager brings a wealth of experience, both as a top-level player and a seasoned tactician, making him the ideal leader to guide us into a new era of success. Welcome to Gor Mahia, coach Akonnor.”
‘The chemistry is very key for me’
Speaking for the first time after penning the deal, Akonnor, who started his career in Ghana with a colts team, Young Hearts, before joining Okwawu United and later Obuasi Goldfields, emphasised that his immediate task was to make sure Gor Mahia players understood tactical awareness so as to be ready to play under any given conditions.
“As for me, first of all it is the chemistry of the players, strengthening the chemistry within the players, they need to have that understanding, that love, that passion, that they will play together no matter what it is, and they will carry the flag of Gor Mahia to the next level,” said Akonnor.
“So, chemistry is very key for me, of course. Again, you talk about tactical awareness. I want to have flexibility in terms of how we approach games, because every game will not be the same, so we need to understand tactical awareness of what we want to do.
“Remember this is Africa and sometimes you go to a place where the field does not favour you, it means that you have to change your style of play, and this are things I am looking at, and of course, their (players) fitness will be very important, they need to be fit to be able to demonstrate what we have been doing in the past, weeks and months on the field of play.”
Charles Akonnor’s football career
In 1992, Akonnor moved to Germany with another Ghana star, Samuel Kuffour and joined the then 2. Bundesliga side Fortuna Koln, where he would spend six seasons and appear in over 150 matches and score over 25 goals before securing a move to Bundesliga side VfL Wolfsburg, where he made his name.
At Wolfsburg, Akonnor played over 140 matches, scored over 20 goals and served as captain in the 2001/02 season before leaving the club in 2004 to join SpVgg Unterhaching. At the international level, he was capped for Ghana at the U20, U23 and the senior team.
At the youth level, he starred for Ghana and helped them to third place during the 1991 African Youth Championship and second place during the 1993 FIFA World Youth Championship. At the senior level, he made 51 appearances and scored 13 goals for Ghana between 1991 and 2001 and captained the team from 1998 to 2001.
Akonnor also represented Ghana at the 1996 Summer Olympics and in four Africa Cup of Nations in 1994, 1996, 1998 and 2000, serving as captain in 2000. In 1998, he was also named in the CAF XI of the year and AFCON Team of the Tournament.
His last stint as a coach was with Ghana’s Black Stars between 2020 and 2021, but he was sacked following an unconvincing win against Ethiopia and a defeat to South Africa in a World Cup qualifying match.
