C. K. Akonnor wins Kenyan Premier League coach of the season
Ghanaian coach Charles Akonnor has been named Kenya’s Coach of the Season after masterminding Gor Mahia’s march to a record-extending Kenyan Premier League title.
The former Ghana national team boss received the prestigious accolade following a remarkable debut campaign in charge of the Nairobi-based giants, whom he led to their 22nd league crown and another chapter in the club’s illustrious history.
Gor Mahia sealed the championship with two matches still to play after rivals AFC Leopards suffered a 2-1 defeat to APS Bomet, leaving them unable to catch the leaders at the summit of the table.
Akonnor’s success comes less than a year after he arrived at the club in August 2025. Since taking over, the 51-year-old has overseen a dramatic transformation, restoring Gor Mahia’s dominance in Kenyan football through a blend of tactical discipline, attacking football and consistency.
Working alongside an all-Ghanaian backroom team comprising assistant coach Bismark Kobi Mensah, goalkeepers’ trainer Ben Owu and video analyst Joshua Kofi Boafo, Akonnor has built one of the league’s most formidable sides.
The title-winning campaign was also powered by a strong Ghanaian contingent on the pitch. Midfielder Enock Morrison emerged as one of the team’s standout performers, while George Amonoo, Ebenezer Adukwaw and Ebenezer Assifuah all made significant contributions as Gor Mahia surged clear of their rivals.
The champions finished the season on 68 points, comfortably securing top spot and reaffirming their status as Kenya’s most successful football club.
For Akonnor, the Coach of the Season award is the latest milestone in a distinguished managerial career that has included spells with Ghanaian giants Asante Kotoko and Hearts of Oak, as well as the Black Stars.
His achievement in Kenya further strengthens his reputation as one of the continent’s respected coaches and sets the stage for a new challenge next season, when he leads Gor Mahia into the CAF Champions League.
After a season of dominance, Akonnor and his team will now look to translate their domestic success onto the continental stage.
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