Charles Akonnor rules himself out of contention to replace Otto Addo as Ghana coach

The West African nation sacked Otto Addo as Black Stars head coach with just over two months to go before the global showpiece. The decision to send Addo packing came hours after a 2-1 loss to Germany in Stuttgart, which was Ghana’s fourth straight loss in warm-up games including a 5-1 defeat to Austria.

“The Ghana Football Association have parted ways with the head coach of the senior men’s national team (Black Stars), Otto Addo effective immediately,” read a statement posted on Ghana FA official website.

Following the sacking, several names started to pop up as possible replacements for the 50-year-old, who was in his second stint at the Black Stars helm. Addo had led the Black Stars to the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar and later guided the team to qualification for this year’s tournament.

Akonnor, who previously managed the Black Stars from 2020 to 2021, was among coaches, who were immediately linked with the vacant role.

The 52-year-old, who made 51 appearances for the Ghana national team scoring 13 goals, has ruled himself out of the race.

‘My focus is Gor Mahia’

“I am with Gor Mahia. I’m very happy. I’m doing well,” Akonnor told the media when asked about Ghana's vacant role after their FKF Premier League fixture against Kariobangi Sharks at Nyayo Stadium on Saturday.

“We are fighting for the title, and that is where my focus is, and so nothing comes before that. I was once the coach of the national team. If there’s a link, it’s not anything negative.

“It’s not anything bad. It’s good. I’m a Ghanaian. I love my country. I love the national team. I will support them in the World Cup. And that will be it. But for now, my focus is on Gor Mahia.”

Akonnor took charge of Kenya’s record champions on a two-year deal on August 1, 2025, to lead the team for the 2025-26 season. He was hired to improve the squad’s performance after a trophy-less 2024-25 season.

Under Akonnor, Gor Mahia are currently leading the FKF Premier League table with 57 points from 26 matches. They are two points ahead of their rivals AFC Leopards, who have amassed 55 points from 27 matches.

Despite the draw against Sharks, Akonnor, who started his career in Ghana with a colts team Young Hearts, before joining Okwawu United and later Obuasi Goldfields, remained confident, Gor Mahia were on course to reclaim the league title.

“The game could go either way. They (Sharks) had chances to score, and any side could have lost the game. So, the result is a fair outcome,” added Akonnor.

“The opponent is a team that knows their game. They disturbed us and never let us settle, to their credit. The first half was not that good, and we wanted to come up for the final half more assertively, but it was not to be.

“One point is okay; a fair result. But for us, we didn’t play the way we have been playing; I personally was not satisfied with our performance. The positive thing to take from the game is that we did not lose.

“We have to take the result in good faith. We take the one point and now shift our preparation for the coming matches.”

The Black Stars will head into the World Cup drawn in Group L alongside Panama, England, and Croatia.

The tournament will take place from June 11 to July 19, and will be jointly hosted by sixteen cities—eleven in the United States, three in Mexico, and two in Canada.

The tournament will be the first FIFA World Cup to be hosted by three nations, and the first to include 48 teams, an expansion from 32.