By Ken Bediako
My belated congratulations to Bofoakwa and Medeama football clubs. It’s not for their respective laurels on the pitch in the just ended season but for the wonderful sportsmanship displayed by their supporters. I really applaud the decision of Bofoakwa supporters to undertake voluntary renovation of the dressing room at the Sunyani Coronation Park for the new season. My kudos to Medeama fans is because of the massive support for the club’s historic visit to Parliament House with the league trophy to show to our political leaders the significance of sports in our society. The resultant warm reception by the lawmakers confirm the popular notion that competitive sports in general, and football in particular is a passion of the nation.
Fans of Bofoakwa have waited for 16 years to see their pet club return to the Premier league and the fans cannot wait to see their pet players in action. The Coronation Park is the club’s bona fide home venue and the fans want to avoid the situation where they would be told by a GFA committee that the stadium is not fit for purpose. It is on record that poor dressing rooms have robbed certain clubs the advantage of using their home grounds. This is what fans of the club with a powerful slogan “Asuo a eyi pe bre.” want to avoid. Loosely translated the slogan means “the river that overflows its banks in the dry season.” Can you beat that?
I am told the Coronation Park was constructed in 1953 during the Coronation of the late Queen Elizabeth of England. It has served the people long enough and it needs a massive facelift. Legends like Agyeman Gyau, Adasi Fofie, Barnier Snr, Barnier Jnr, “Soccer Articulator” Agyeman Badu, “Twin strikers” Kwasi Owusu, Dan Owusu and Co all contributed to the popularity of the Coronation Park. But, honestly, the Region deserves to have a modern stadium. I understand the provision of a modern regional stadium is in the pipeline.
While we await the provision of a new stadium, I would like to suggest to living legend Dan Owusu, three times back to back national goal king in the 1970s, to give his full spiritual backing to this rejuvenated Bofoakwa Tano, his mother club. Management should officially invite Dan Owusu and possibly one time Sports Minister Kwame Saarah Mensah, who as Honorary Secretary of the club in the late 60s discovered ‘powerhouse’ Kwasi Owusu from Kintampo, to visit the team prior to their maiden home match at the Coronation Park. This would be a nostalgic spectacle. The two gentlemen should be publicly introduced to the crowd at the stadium. I have no doubt the current generation of footballers will take inspiration from such a move that they shall also be honoured for their laurels in the future.
Football should be made a lively profession and those keen to be trainers after active service must be encouraged to pursuit their ambition.
Luckily GFA boss Kurt Okraku has announced at the just ended FA Congress in Kumasi this week that the FA would assist those eager to obtain coaching licenses.
He admits that the current low standard of coaching has contributed to the falling standard of play throughout the country.
Some experts say intelligent footballers who opt to be coaches after retirement turn out to be excellent coaches in most instances. Man City’s Pep Guardiola is good example overseas.
On the local front you can readily cite Jones Attuquayefio of Republikans and Olympics fame who led Accra Hearts of Oak to an elusive six premier league triumphs; Ibrahim Sunday led Asante Kotoko to Africa Cup title in 1983; Kwasi Appiah took the Black Stars to 2014 World Cup. Golden Boy Abdul Razak Karimu Zito, Maxwell Konadu, Ebo Smith and Anno Walker all come in for honourable mention.
May I suggest to the GFA to fully sponsor a number of well selected former Stars to train as coaches
The number will depend on available funds and selection should be strictly on merit. It could be long or short term courses.
This exercise should be a collaboration with the Sports Ministry and the National Sports Authority.
It is healthy to note that the GFA has identified
the many ills that are disturbing the smooth progress of Ghana football. President Okraku has come out with a lot of lofty programmes that should really see Ghana football rise again.
I believe if the sports media will keep on reminding the Ghana Football Association to honour the lofty programmes announced at the Kumasi Congress all will soon be well with Ghana football. The stands will once again be filled to capacity and victorious fans can one again resort to the popular chants of “Ofun”, “Real” “Ofun,” “Real” towards the end of a 90-minute artistic game.
As usual, I would like to end this piece with profiles of Asante Kotoko 1982 squad and that of Accra Hearts of Oak 1985 squad compiled decades ago.
ASANTE KOTOKO 1982
ERNEST APAU
One of the recent recruits into the Asante Kotoko fold, 24-year-old Ernest Apau is a promising defender. He is a regular replacement for Seth Ampadu and he has never failed to give a good account of himself anytime that he is fielded.
Born at Asuoyeboa near Kumasi on August 1, 1968 to Opanin Kwaku Apau a farmer and Madam Yaa Ampoma a trader. Ernest started playing colts in 1968. He featured regularly for Young Kotoko until he was signed on by Kumasi Cornerstones when he completed his Middle School education.
Table Tennis and athletics are his hobbies. Beatrice Apau is his lovely wife and they are yet to have a child.
Ernest’s ambition is to become a successful professional player and his idol is Junior of Brazil. Andrews Gyabaah is his local idol player.
Like most of his colleagues, he picks Kotoko’s resounding victory over Kampala City Council as the momentous occasion in his football career and the 3-1 defeat by Accra Standfast the saddest. He is an electrician by profession.
CHARLES OPPONG
Charles Oppong came into the limelight as a stylish but robust tackling defender. He was at one stage the number one choice for the number three position both for his club and the Black Stars.
Of recent his over indulgence in “space marking” has always put him in a tight corner especially against fast wingers and he is no longer the first choice.
Born at Dichemso, Kumasi, on 20th July 1956, Charles started playing for the champion club’s colts team in 1970. He made his first division debut for GIHOC Stars before joining Asante Kotoko in 1978.
Brazilian star Zico is his idol and the happiest moment in his football career was when he featured for the Black Stars against China in Peking. The Black Stars’ defeat in the 1978 Afro Asian championships in Tehran was his saddest moment. Married to Comfort Oppong-Annoh, he has one daughter, Vera.
His parents are Robert Annan, a farmer and Madam Afua Brenya and his ambition is to become a successful businessman in future.
HEARTS 1985 AFRICA SQUAD
Emmanuel Lante Botchway
The fast running winger Botchway is one player who has not been consistent. He is up today and down the next time round.
He has a beautiful unique way of passing the ball to himself and this can outwit the craftiest defender. Remember the way he mesmerised the RTU defender in that epic league match last October when he scored the winning goal for Hearts.
Botchway started real competitive football with Accra Standfast before signing for the champions in 1982.
He was born in Accra on 25th July 1960 to Odashie Botchway, a businessman and Beatrice Akuyea Aryee, a trader.
Botchway’s favourite player is Yahya Kassum and Falcao of Brazil is his favourite abroad. He also fancies Manchester United and Sekondi Eleven Wise. African lightweight boxing champion, Ago Kotey is one other sportsman he admires most.
Lantey as he is affectionately called rates the Hearts-RTU league decider last October as his most memorable match. Rice is his favourite food. He is a music lover and the one person in the world he would like to meet is Muhammad Ali
MOHAMMED AHMED POLO
One of the greatest footballers the nation has produced is undoubtedly 26-year-old Mohammed Ahmed better known as Polo.
A dribbler extraordinary, Polo sprang from the obscure non-league club, Nima Seekers, to prominence on the shoulders of Accra Hearts of Oak in 1973. He is a player who can dribble from pillar to post on a good day and score beautifully with either foot from impossible angles.
Polo’s rise to fame was fast. He tormented
defenders and made them look like buffoons. It was Dan Oppong of Asante Kotoko who devised a rather unorthodox style to scare the talented player.
Polo inspired Hearts to many victories but a nagging leg injury in 1978 took the sting out
of him. A frustrated Polo left Ghana for the United Arab Emirates where he fortunately recaptured his dazzling form. He returned home last year to spearhead a newly formed self-styled professional team, Republikans, but he had to be persuaded to return to his mother club to help in their search for honours.
Married to elegant Mohida, the Dribbling Magician expects his first kid soon.
Polo’s favourite food is rice and the person in the world he would like to meet is American President Ronald Reagan.
Cheers everybody and keep loving sports.
