The former head coach of the Black Stars, CK Ackonnor has urged the Ghana Football Association (GFA) and the people of Ghana to support Chris Hughton in the run-up to the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).

Following losses in the international friendlies against Mexico and the United States of America, there are doubts about the ability of Hughton to qualify Ghana to the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

He was kept on as the coach, though, as the Black Stars prevailed in one of the two qualifiers while losing the other match against Comoros.

Hughton’s status is still unknown, but Akonnor thinks it will take some time for the former Newcastle coach to get the team playing well at the AFCON.

“I know what he is going through. It’s a difficult time. Sometimes, you can get confused especially when the whole nation comes at you,” the former coach stated in a Joy Sports interview.

“We need to be calm. There is a need for calmness to prepare well, get focused and have a strategy as to how we can go into this tournament.

“It’s a big deal for us as a football nation but we need to calm down and allow him to prepare the team adequately so we can go to this tournament and do well.”

The 2023 AFCON will begin on January 13 and run through February 11, 2024.

Record winners Egypt, Mozambique, and Cape Verde will square off against Black Stars in the group stages.