Raphaël Patron Akakpo

Akakpo Patron
Personal information
Full name Raphaël Patron Akakpo
Date of birth (1973-12-01) 1 December 1973
Position Striker
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
–1991 Prampram Mighty Royals
1991–1995 Asante Kotoko
1995–1996 Ghapoha
1997 Tero Sasana (15)
1997–1999 Brunei (31)
2000–2001 Liberty Professionals
2001 Sabina
2002 Brunei (0)
2003 Terengganu 0 (0)
2003 Sabina (8)
2003–2005 Mahindra United
2005–2006 Khanh Hoa (1)
International career
1998–2001 Togo
Managerial career
2014–2017 WAFA SC (assistant)
2016 WAFA SC (interim)
2017–2021 Asante Kotoko (assistant)
2022 Cheetah
2022–2023 Kotoku Royals
2023–2024 Victory Club Warriors
2025 Golden Warriors (assistant)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals

Raphaël Patron Akakpo (born 1 December 1973) is a Togolese retired professional footballer. He has spent time in Ghana, Thailand, Brunei, Malaysia, India,[1] and Vietnam during his professional career, as well as played for the Togo national football team.[2]

Playing career

Brunei and Malaysia

Patron arrived in Brunei at the start of the 1997 Liga Perdana Malaysia to play for the Bruneian national football team playing in the Malaysian league. By then, he had 15 international caps for Togo and was on the books of Tero Sasana of Thailand, scoring 15 goals in the previous term.[3] Coached by influential Englishman David Booth, Patron amassed 15 goals in the league while Brunei finished fifth and were semi-finalists of the Malaysia Cup.[4][5]

Patron was retained by Booth for the following campaign, where the foreign trio of Brian Bothwell, Zannoun Farouk and the Togolese striker propelled Brunei to a highest-ever third place in the 1998 Liga Perdana 1.[6][7]

The pinnacle of Patron's career with Brunei came in the 1999 season, when he hoisted the Malaysia Cup after a 2–1 victory at Stadium Merdeka that year.[8]

Discharged by Brunei in 2002,[9] Patron was signed by Terengganu FA in early 2003;[10] however, since his transfer breached M-League rules, Terengganu were not allowed to sign him despite pleading to the Football Association of Malaysia.[11][12]

India

Lifting the 2003 Indian Federation Cup with Mahindra United,[13] Patron mustered a brace in a 3–1 league win over Sporting Clube de Goa on 25 April 2004.[14]

Vietnam

In early 2005, Patron signed for Khatoco Khanh Hoa of the Vietnamese First Division, the second tier of Vietnamese football.[15] The team finished in first place and won promotion to the V.League 1.[16]

Coaching career

Patron joined WAFA around 2014 and was promoted to head coach in 2016.[17] He then made way and was assistant to Klavs Rasmussen,[18] and the pair steered WAFA to a second place finish in the 2017 Ghana Premier League.[19]

At the season's end, Patron was snapped up by former club Asante Kotoko at the recommendation of Steven Polack, who made him his assistant.[20] However, in the following February Asante Kotoko were eliminated at the qualifying stage of the 2018 CAF Confederation Cup by CARA Brazzaville, which cost Polack his job.[21] He nevertheless continued his deputy role behind Paa Kwesi Fabin and afterwards C.K. Akonnor, before leaving in 2019.[22]

In March 2022, Patron was appointed head coach of Cheetah F.C. of Kasoa, Ghana.[23] He then coached Kotoku Royals at the 2022–23 Ghana Premier League where they finished rock bottom, in which he moved on to taking the reins of Victory Club Warriors the following year.[24]

In July 2025, Patron was signed as assistant coach of Division One League Golden Warriors under Andy Sinason.[25] The pair were relieved of their posts by the club in November.[26]

Honours

Team

Asante Kotoko
Brunei
Mahindra United
Khanh Hoa

Individual

  • Meritorious Service Medal (PJK; 1999)[34]

References

  1. ↑ Chaudhuri, Arunava. "Season ending Transfers 2004: India". indianfootball.de. Indian Football Network. Archived from the original on 17 February 2020. Retrieved 1 July 2021.
  2. ↑ "Patron to represent Togo". Borneo Bulletin. 10 February 1998. Archived from the original on 15 February 1998. Retrieved 9 May 2025.
  3. ↑ "PEMAIN GHANA PERKUKUH BARISAN SERANGAN" [GHANAIAN PLAYER STRENGTHENS ATTACKING LINEUP]. Pelita Brunei. 19 March 1997. Archived from the original on 31 July 1997. Retrieved 6 July 2018.
  4. ↑ "Top Scorers". M-League Online. Archived from the original on 20 August 2008. Retrieved 22 May 2026.
  5. ↑ "Malaysia 1997". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. 19 June 2003. Retrieved 22 May 2026.
  6. ↑ "SKUAD NEGARA BELASAH NEGERI SEMBILAN, 4 - 0" [NATIONAL SQUAD THRASHED NEGERI SEMBILAN, 4 - 0] (PDF) (in Malay). Pelita Brunei. 29 July 1998. Retrieved 21 May 2026.
  7. ↑ "Malaysia 1998". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. 7 January 2001. Retrieved 21 May 2026.
  8. ↑ "Rosli Double Gives Brunei The Cup". New Straits Times. Retrieved 20 May 2026 – via Google News Archive Search.
  9. ↑ "Brunei sack star striker Akakpo". article.wn.com. Archived from the original on 19 December 2018. Retrieved 2 February 2018.
  10. ↑ "Other Sports: Turtles sign on another Ghanaian – The Star Online". The Star. Malaysia. Archived from the original on 26 July 2022. Retrieved 2 February 2018.
  11. ↑ "Soccer: No go for Akakpo". article.wn.com. Archived from the original on 18 December 2018. Retrieved 2 February 2018.
  12. ↑ "Other Sports: Terengganu to FAM: Please allow us to field Akakpo – The Star Online". The Star. Malaysia. Archived from the original on 19 December 2018. Retrieved 2 February 2018.
  13. ↑ "Raphael Patron Akakpo – Soccer Player – Mumbai club". 15 December 2013. Archived from the original on 15 December 2013.
  14. ↑ "Akakpo brace in Mahindra's win". Rediff.com. Archived from the original on 28 December 2021. Retrieved 2 February 2018.
  15. ↑ "Kết quả vòng 8 Giải hạng Nhất QG – Cúp Majesty/Bird 2005: Các đội chủ nhà toàn thắng". Vietnam Football Federation. 6 April 2005. Retrieved 21 May 2026.
  16. ↑ "Vietnam 2005". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. 5 June 2025. Retrieved 21 May 2026.
  17. ↑ "Akakpo Patron promoted to take charge of WAFA first team". 23 June 2016. Archived from the original on 19 December 2018. Retrieved 2 February 2018.
  18. ↑ "WAFA appoint Danish trainer Klaus Rasmussen as new head coach". GhanaSoccernet. 17 November 2016. Retrieved 21 May 2026.
  19. ↑ "Ghana 2017". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. 22 November 2022. Retrieved 21 May 2026.
  20. ↑ "WAFA's deputy coach Akakpo Patron joins Asante Kotoko technical team". GhanaSoccernet. 22 November 2007. Retrieved 21 May 2026.
  21. ↑ "BREAKING: Asante Kotoko part ways with Steve Polack". GhanaSoccernet. 23 February 2018. Retrieved 21 May 2026.
  22. ↑ "Asante Kotoko part ways with assistant coach Akakpo Patron". GhanaSoccernet. 9 October 2019. Retrieved 21 May 2026.
  23. ↑ "Cheetah FC appoint Akakpo Patron as new head coach". Kyfilla.com. 24 March 2022. Archived from the original on 6 July 2022. Retrieved 6 July 2022.
  24. ↑ "Akakpo Patron joins Victory Club Warriors as new head coach". Kickgh.com. 16 August 2023. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  25. ↑ @goldenwarriorsfootballclub; (24 July 2025). "We're excited to welcome Coach Raphael Akakpo Patron as our new Assistant Coach". Retrieved 21 May 2026 – via Instagram.
  26. ↑ @goldenwarriorsfootballclub; (9 November 2025). "CLUB STATEMENT". Retrieved 21 May 2026 – via Instagram.
  27. ↑ "Ghana 1991/92". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. 19 July 2000. Retrieved 21 May 2026.
  28. ↑ "Ghana 1992/93". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. 22 February 2006. Retrieved 21 May 2026.
  29. ↑ Shahyb, Mohamed (21 September 2003). "Local teams struggle while foreign teams confirm participation in POMIS Cup". haveeru.com. Haveeru Daily. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016.
  30. ↑ "Referees and foreign teams to arrive Male' tomorrow" (in Divehi). Haveeru Online. 12 October 2003. Archived from the original on 23 January 2015. Retrieved 23 January 2015.
  31. ↑ "From the history book, roll of honour". the-aiff.com. All India Football Federation. 10 January 2015. Archived from the original on 9 January 2015. Retrieved 12 December 2021.
  32. ↑ Chaudhuri, Arunava. "2003/04 Season in Indian Football". indianfootball.de. Indian Football Network. Archived from the original on 17 January 2020. Retrieved 2 March 2021.
  33. ↑ "Indian Super Cup". the-aiff.com. All India Football Federation. Archived from the original on 25 September 2011. Retrieved 22 September 2011.
  34. ↑ "National Heroes receive Meritorious Service Medals" (PDF). Brunei Darussalam Newsletter. 1 December 1999. Retrieved 21 September 2022.
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