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The Black Stars boss has spoken about his ambition to end a 38-year wait for a continental title.
Ghana coach CK Akonnor aims to win the African Cup of Nations (Afcon) to leave a legacy in the West African nation.
The Black Stars have suffered a series of near failures since winning the last of their four titles in 1982. The first three trophies came in 1963, 1965, and 1978.
Akonnor took over the reins in January, replacing James Kwasi Appiah.
“It’s not about me. It’s about us,” Akonnor told TV3.
“For 30 years we haven’t won Afcon. I don’t want to be just another coach who comes in to manage Ghana and leaves and then it’s the same story.”
“I want us to work and have an impact, we are relevant.”
Despite five months in office, Akonnor has yet to take Ghana into action due to turbulent coronavirus disruptions.
The Black Stars were billed to face Sudan in an Afcon 2021 qualifying double header in March, but the match had to be canceled.
The coach had called up a 23-man team for consecutive games.
“I keep working, [despite the disruptions]Akonnor said.
“I have been following the players, in constant communication with them and waiting when we have the go-ahead.”
The former Ghana and Wolfsburg captain, who has coached Ghana’s two biggest clubs, Asante Kotoko and Hearts, also shed some light on his personality.
Yes, I am a disciplined person.
“My time, I’m not kidding about that. When we agree to five and you show up at six, then it’s a problem and I won’t hesitate to tell you.
“People tend to see that as a quick genius and arrogance.”
Ghana has set out to break a 39-year trophy-free drought to win Afcon in Cameroon next year.
In 1992, the Black Stars finished second, losing to Ivory Coast on a penalty. In 1996, Ghana again reached the semifinals, this time in fourth place after falling to Zambia in a tiebreaker for third place.
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West Africans finished third and second respectively in 2008 and 2010 before making fourth consecutive appearances in Gabon / Equatorial Guinea in 2012 and South Africa in 2013.
In Equatorial Guinea 2015, Ghana, under former Chelsea manager Avram Grant, came very close once again, this time losing to Ivory Coast on penalties in the final.
In 2017, the Black Stars finished the tournament in fourth position, but failed to reach the championship quarterfinals for the first time since 2006 in Egypt 2019, where they succumbed to Tunisia by penalties in the knockout stages.
