Former Ghana coach and captain, Charles Kwablan Akonnor, has revealed that he wants his younger son, Charles Kwablan Herrmann, to have the freedom to decide whether he wants to play for Ghana or not.

Herrmann recently achieved success with Germany, winning the U-17 World Cup in Indonesia. During the tournament, he made five appearances, scoring one goal and providing three assists, following Germany's European championship victory in June.

In an interview with Graphic Sports, Akonnor emphasized the importance of allowing young players like Herrmann to make their own choices.

He questioned the value of bringing a young player to Africa to participate in under-17 competitions when there are talented local players who can fill those roles.

"At their age, we are not good with these under-17 things, and who will pay for a ticket for somebody to come to Africa to play for under-17?" Akonnor questioned.

He suggested that the focus should be on developing talent within Ghana and utilizing local players.

However, Akonnor clarified that if Herrmann expresses interest in playing for Ghana at the senior level, he would fully support him.

Drawing on the example of Kevin-Prince Boateng, who did not play for Ghana at the junior level but represented the Black Stars, Akonnor highlighted that players can make their mark even without going through the youth ranks.

While Akonnor's older son, Jesaja Herrman, has already expressed his willingness to play for Ghana, Akonnor advises him to work hard and aim for a higher league to increase his chances of a national team call-up.

"For the national team, you don’t have to be in the third division; you have to be in the premier and make waves for yourself to be seen as a national team player," he emphasized.