Black Stars Head Coach C.K Akonnor was back in front of the camera on Sunday as he looked ahead to Monday’s International friendly against Qatar.
The former Ghana captain discussed the match against Qatar, knowing his players on and off the pitch, lessons learnt from Mali defeat and more.
Below is Akonnor’s full interview with ghanafa.org:
On lessons after Mali defeat
I think a lot of lessons have been learnt, through this game, I got to know about my players, the new, the old, our attitude we put up on the field of play. The way we comported ourselves on the field of play and everything, so I have learnt a lot. Based on these facts, I have had a couple of meetings. Some individual meetings with each and everyone in the team and I hope that in the coming match our attitude will change.
On attitude and discipline of players during Mali game
Tactically we were also not disciplined, the things we discussed that we were going to do, we didn’t do them, it was only few minutes that we did that and it didn’t really help us. We didn’t really show a good performance, its rather unfortunate that we played the way we did.
Approach to Qatar game
Approach is going to be different. First of all, against Mali we were not compact and I am looking forward to improve in that area to be compact and of course how we approach, how we attack. How we attack in the way of offensive play was not effective and we need to improve in that area and of course defensively we allowed too many chances to the opponent. We worked on it yesterday, we have discussed it, today we going to continue and hopefully tomorrow you will see a lot improvement. I am very, very positive about that and I know that we will improve in that area.
On getting to know players on and off the pitch
It’s gone well, some of the things you have to be honest. It doesn’t matter who it is. You have to say it as way it is. As a matter of fact, this is the senior national team, it’s not a club level, therefore it is important that we all that we all understand that level and show that commitment in terms of the way we play. In my position, I have a way of doing things and with the help of my technical team, we plan, we think about what will be the best for us, then its up to the playing body to embrace it and work towards it. That has been the message, we are not a club, we are a national team and therefore it is important that whatever that we do in our club when we come to the national team, there should be a way that we help to raise the image of our country.
On possible changes
Yes, there will be changes in the squad for the Qatar game
On Nicholas Opoku
He has not fully recovered. The Doctors will look at it again, asses him and inform me.
On Ghanaian fans being disappointed
I can understand their disappointment. I have read a bit of their comments and its disturbing but, nobody asked me to be a Coach, that is what we are made of. I have accepted the criticisms in good faith. I am a Ghanaian and I want to go the Ghanaian way but things would change and we will enjoy watching the team again.
