AmaZulu set to appoint former Black Stars and Kotoko boss CK Akonnor as permament replacement for Benni McCarthy
Former Ghana captain Charles Akonnor has reportedly landed AmaZulu managerial role after the South African outfit sack Benni McCarthy on Friday.
Since McCarthy’s departure, AmaZulu has immediately embarked on a search for a permanent replacement with Ghanaian duo Maxwell Konadu and CK Akonnor eyed. With 9th placed AmaZulu still fighting for African football next season- though it will be difficult to achieve that, an interim boss will be needed to turn fortunes around til end of the season and have appointment Swallows tactician Brandon Truter on short term basis.
“AmaZulu FC is pleased to announce the appointment of Brandon Truter as interim head coach with immediate effect until the end of the current 2021/2022 season.
“We look forward to competing in the league with the remaining 7 games left.
“The search for the head coach to lead the team beyond this season has commenced and should be finalised before the end of April.”
The last sentence of AmaZulu’s statement on appointing Truter makes bold suggestion that the PSL outfit have already began negotiations with a permanent coach which the club could announce in ending of April.
And according to reports in Ghana, former Asante Kotoko and Black Stars coach Charles Kwablan Akonnor is the manager AmaZulu would appoint as permanent replacement for Benni McCarthy.
A report in Ghanaian online portal Ghana Soccer Net claims that “Akonnor has been named coach of South African club AmaZulu FC on a three-year contract.
Ghana Football Association (GFA) fired Akonnor after two matches in the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification campaign. Akonnor’s contract was cancelled after the Black Stars’ 1-0 loss to South Africa in Johannesburg.
The former Asante Kotoko boss who guided the Ghana Premier League leaders to 2018 Caf Confederation Cup group stages has remained unattached since his Black Stars collapsed company.
The Ghanaian International has been contacted by several clubs but it now appears AmaZulu will win the race for the 48-year old’s signature.
While negotiations have started and agreeing to a three year deal, Akonnor is expected to fly to South Africa next week to finalise the deal. If paper works are completed, announcement of the deal is expected to be made ending of April however he will start work beginning of next season.
Before the top Black Stars job, Akonnor coached Asante Kotoko and Hearts of Oak – undoubtedly the two biggest clubs in Ghana. He also managed Ash Gold who pride themselves as the third biggest after Kotoko and Hearts.
Akonnor won Normalisation Committe Special Competition with Asante Kotoko in 2019.
As Black Stars coach, Akonnor qualified the team for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon.
Akonnor, a former footballer, made 51 appearances for Black Stars and scored 13 goals. He played for seven clubs including German side Wolfsburg.
With seven games to end the Premier Soccer League campaign- which means Akonnor will start work soon than later, the Ghanaian already have transfers in place.
He will be looking into the Ghana Premier League to prize away emerging stars to AmaZulu. Hearts of Oak Salifu Ibrahim, Kotoko’s Sheriff Mohammed and Mudasiru Salifu are all targets for CK Akonnor.
Since the firing of Benni McCarthy, AmaZulu fans have inquired to know the reason behind the sacking of their former boss.
And AmaZulu owner Sandile Zungu has revealed the reasons which forced the club into sensationally sacking head coach Benni McCarthy
“It’s very simple the team performed exceptionally well last season, but this season the wheels came off,” Zungu told South Africa sports magazine KickOff.
“We want to be in the top four, and it might be a bit late now to salvage that top-four finish.
“Benni was very good, he was part of our success last season, but we needed change to salvage our pride this year.
“At the rate, we were going the team is having a 42% conversion rate, with 29 points out of a maximum 69 points.
“So we don’t believe the season is done, we’ve got seven more games to play, 21 points to play for if you add 21 to 29 we could reach 60 points.
“If you’ve got 60 points in the Premier Soccer League you are then likely to be in the top four.
“There is no way we would have clinched a top-four spot with Benni in charge, absolutely no way.
“We were of the view that let’s not overburden him with this responsibility because either he was leaving now or at the end of the season.
“The end of the season with us out of the top eight would have been a disaster for us.
“It’s quite clear results are what matters most, and results were not forthcoming, and unfortunately with the coach that’s where it starts.
“If the team is doing very well he takes the glory, if the team is not doing very well he takes the fall.”
