Former Ghana captain Charles Kwablan Akonnor has thrown his weight behind Jonas Adjetey, urging the young centre-back to make his mark in Germany by turning opportunity into a starting shirt.
Adjetey, 22, arrived in Wolfsburg this summer after sealing a long-term deal from FC Basel that runs to 2030, and the message from one of the club’s most recognisable African alumni is clear: presence on the pitch changes everything.
Speaking to Graphic Sports, Akonnor drew from his own journey in the Bundesliga, recalling a demanding environment that nonetheless backed players who committed to the grind. He noted how the league’s culture evolved as more Black footballers began to thrive, name-checking Pablo Thiam as part of a wave that helped reshape attitudes in German football.
Akonnor also pointed to the ripple effect of the 2006 FIFA World Cup, saying the tournament accelerated a broader acceptance of foreign players in Germany and smoothed the path for newcomers finding their feet in a new country.
“That World Cup helped Germans accept foreign nationals more, so Adjetey will have the privilege of being welcomed well,” he noted.
Now coaching in East Africa with Gor Mahia, Akonnor framed the next step for Adjetey as a simple, unforgiving equation: minutes equal growth. The Bundesliga, he stressed, rewards those who turn patience into performances and competition into consistency.
“All he needs to do now is to work hard, become a starter and not just a bench player. That will help and prepare him for the next level,” he said.
For Adjetey, the challenge is to convert promise into presence at Wolfsburg, train with edge, win duels, and make selection a non-debate. If he can anchor himself in the XI, the pathway Akonnor mapped out, acceptance, opportunity, then elevation, becomes far more than advice; it becomes a blueprint.
