CK Akonnor is my best Ghanaian player of all-time- John Paintsil

He explained that CK Akonnor is a team player, because he is not selfish and he could pop up to score goals at crucial stages to salvage the situation for his outfits.

CK Akonnor played for the Black Stars from 1992 to 2002 and featured in the 1994, 1996, 1998 and 2000 Africa Cup of Nations and even captained the Black Stars at the peak of his career.

John Paintsil, a former Black Stars defender, when quizzed to pick his greatest Ghanaian player surprisingly chose CK Akonnor over several football greats from the West African powerhouse like Abedi Pele, Mohammed, Abdul Razak, Asamoah Gyan, Michael Essien, etc.

John Paintsil Pulse Ghana

“Football has two things; selfish play and playing for the team. CK was a player who could shoot from all angles. People who don’t believe can go and check out his goals. He can move to the right side and hit with the left. He was scoring 40, 30 yard free kicks. I don’t believe in players who like to dribble the entire field to score. I called that selfish play”. But there are some players when you crucially need them to show up with a goal they do. As a coach, you pick players who will play for the team and I think CK was a team player”, he told Kasapa FM.

"I think it’s the right choice. He has played and knows how the job is. He is a very disciplined man. A disciplined coach will ensure that all his players are disciplined both on and off the pitch”.

Painstil also picked John Mensah as the best player he partnered within the national team.

“John Mensah was a rock. At the back, he covered every position”.

John Paintsil represented Ghana at two FIFA World Cups: 2006 and 2010.