Ghana’s home based Black Stars coach Maxwell Konadu has told www.aclsports.com that he feels honoured and appreciated by his rating as the best coach at the recently concluded WAFU Cup of Nations in Senegal.
Konadu’s side agonisingly lost the final to hosts Senegal on Sunday through a nail-biting penalty shootout; but the former international was adjudged best coach of the tournament by sponsors ESPN Africa.
“I feel great (with the recognition),” Konadu told www.aclsports.com
“You know, even though we missed the cup but at least this is something to boost my confidence and to also know that people appreciate the little things that we do.”
Konadu led Black Stars to the WAFU Cup title on home soil in 2017, hammering Nigeria 4-1 in the final at the Cape Coast Stadium. They however did not make it to the 2018 African Nations Championship (CHAN).
In the qualifying battle for the 2020 CHAN, Ghana were stunned at home by a late Yannick Pognongo strike at the Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi, leaving them with a mountain to climb in Ouagadougou this weekend.
Interestingly though, Ghana edged Burkina Faso at the quarter final stage in Senegal albeit via penalties and Konadu insists that a turnaround is possible.
“It is very possible because our team kept improving match after match (at the WAFU Cup) till we got to the finals.
“We will be carrying the same momentum to Ouagadougou to meet them this weekend,” said Konadu.
While beaten finalists Ghana take a 0-1 deficit to their final qualification game in Burkina Faso, WAFU Cup of Nations champions Senegal will take a slender 1-0 advantage to Guinea in their own final CHAN 2020 qualification game.
