Black Stars skipper apologises to fans

Akonnor accepts the players should take blame

Charles Akonnor has acknowledged Ghana have disappointed the hopes of a nation in World Cup qualifying, with their chance all but gone unless they can beat Nigeria this weekend.

The Germany-based midfielder has already paid a price in being left out of the team, along with all the foreign-based players.

It seems Ghanaians both at home and in the diaspora have a view on why qualification to the World Cup Finals continues to elude the national team and the squad captain is no exception.

He says that rather than blaming officials and coaching staff the players should admit they could have done better after losing 3-1 at home to Liberia and 1-0 in Sudan.

"On behalf of the players I would like to apologise for the poor performances that we have made.

"People in Ghana have lost hope in us. We haven't lost yet and people should keep the faith in us.

Share of lows

"We are all dreaming of reaching the World Cup - it might be in 2002 or 2006."

On behalf of the players I would like to apologise for the poor performances that we have made

  Charles Akonnor, Ghana captain

The left-sided midfielder has experienced his share of lows with the national side.

He announced his arrival on the international stage at the Cup of Nations finals in 1994. His sweetly struck goal from a free-kick in the quarter final against Ivory Coast set up one of the greatest games the competition has known.

But now he confirms the rumour that prevailed at the time, that the squad was divided adding, "as a young player at the time I was very disappointed".

Again in 1996 and in 1998 Akonnor felt frustrated by the Black Stars inability to stamp their mark on the finals.

Negotiate money

With Abedi Pele retired from international duty the lanky playmaker was captain for the Cup of Nations finals on home soil last year.

He was to lead the Black Stars out for the tournament's opening game with Cameroon, and everything should have been fine, but it was not.

Even under Abedi Pele, Ghana suffered from poor team spirit

"The match was on a Saturday and yet on the Friday we didn't know how much we were going to get paid for playing.

"On the eve of the game it was up to me to visit the minister and negotiate and talk about money."

And he says the role of skipper has become a burden to him and negotiating money is not the only example of when he feels the job goes beyond what is normally expected of a national captain.

"It's up to the coach to say when it is bedtime, lunch time or dinner time, but people expect me to do it," adding that he believes his role in controlling the players finished once a match is over.

Better attitude

Although Akonnor is now suffering from the coach's decision to call up only home-based players for the big match with Nigeria it seems he does have some sympathy with the idea that some of the foreign players were not performing to their full potential.

He said that at the time of the 3-1 home defeat against Liberia he urged the players to do more and show more spirit.

Akonnor says that against Sudan it was a different team and, despite losing, there was a better attitude

"When we played Sudan we only had three European-based professionals, but the spirit we had could have won the match. Add a bit more of that spirit and we could beat Nigeria."

If spirit is directly attributable to home based players then it would seem coach Attuquayefio could be on the right lines.