Former Ghana star Preko unhappy by timing of Akonnor sacking calls

Former Ghana winger Yaw Preko disagrees with calls for the sacking of Black Stars coach CK Akonnor who has come under fire following a 1-0 defeat to South Africa in the 2022 World Cup qualifiers on Monday.

In his 10th game at the helm of affairs, the former Wolfsburg skipper saw his side bow to Bafana in a matchday two fixture, three days after labouring to beat Ethiopia 1-0 at home.

It was the sixth time his team had failed to win a match, three of his four victories as head coach coming against teams placed lower than 120 on the Fifa ranking.

“The sacking is too early, it’s just two games,” Preko, who featured at the 2000 Africa Cup of Nations, told Joy Sports.

“He has already qualified us to the Afcon and we just played two matches so why do we have to push the panic button? No, we have to take it easy.

“I know how everybody is feeling. If you sack him now and bring another coach and we don’t qualify, he will tell you his time was very short and that you need to give him time. If he doesn’t qualify, are you going to sack him too? Then we’ll end up just always sacking.

“Let’s give him the support and benefit of the doubt. We know he can do it, we have to believe in him. Sometimes when the bashing is too much, the person gets confused.”

Monday’s match was Akonnor’s second defeat in his last four matches, in which his side has scored only one goal.

Following the recent loss, Ghana have dropped from first to third on the qualifying table in Group G, behind South Africa and second-placed Ethiopia.

“Ghanaians should support CK Akonnor because it’s never too late. The current players in the Black Stars are the best he has now,” 1978 Afcon winner Mohammed Polo earlier told Otec FM.

“Let us support him and see the way forward. Let’s support our own because the foreign coaches only come and spend our money.”

Akonnor will next lead Ghana into action next month when the Black Stars take on Zimbabwe in a double-header in the World Cup qualifiers.