‘I swear, score or else…’: Video shows CK Akonnor ‘threatening’ Kwame Poku during SA game

The Black Stars were dealt a huge blow in the FIFA World Cup qualifiers when they lost 1-0 to Bafana Bafana at the FNB Stadium.

A late second-half strike from forward Bongokuhle Hlongwane’s was enough to earn all three points for the hosts.

While Akonnor has come under intense pressure over the team’s poor performances, his man-management has also now come under the spotlight.

A video that has gone viral on Twitter shows the 47-year-old seemingly threatening Kwame Poku during Monday’s game.

The lip-reading from the 16-second video captures Akonnor swearing to the striker in Twi: “I swear, [you have to] score or else…”

Meanwhile, some former Ghana internationals have leapt to the defense of Akonnor despite the Black Stars’ faltering results.

Retired footballers cum coaches, Mohammed Polo and Yaw Preko, believe he deserves to be given time to turn things around.

“Ghanaians should support C.K Akonnor because it's never too late. The current players in the Black Stars are the best he has now,” Polo told OTEC FM.

"Let support him and see the way forward. Let's support our own because the foreign coaches only come and spend our money.”

Yaw Preko made a similar call, insisting Akonnor has everything it takes to save the Black Stars from their current slump.

“He [CK Akonnor] is a fine coach and I think he has what it takes to coach the Black Stars,” he said in an interview with Asempa FM.

“He needs the support of the entire country to succeed because he is the person in charge of the team.

“CK Akonnor has proven he can coach the team because if you look at his style of play, it tells you he wants to implement something and I think with the support and belief, he can do it for us.”

The Black Stars will return to action in October to face Zimbabwe in a double-header World Cup qualifier.