By Ken Bediako
It’s heart-warming that despite all the negativity surrounding fhe nation’s football administration, Asante Kotoko can see a light at the end of the tunnel.
The initiative by the club’s spiritual leader Otumfuo Osei Tutu Ababio the Asantehene to mobilise top officials and the supporters into action, is commendable. His Majesty has refreshed the board room, met a cross section of some past and current players and finally accompanied a huge number of supporters group to the club’s new training grounds under construction at Adako Jachie near the Garden City. The training grounds facility is a good handiwork of CEO Nana Amponsah who many observers think he deserves to be given another term of office.
The Otumfuo’s pick of Kwasi Appiah to build a strong technical bench and productive players shows that the Asantehene has his ears on the ground and also a fantastic vision. You could observe from his amiable interactions with some of the retired players and the new ones that he was most familiar with affairs in the club. His easy going comments on the private lives of oldies like Opoku Nti, George Kennedy, Sarfo Gyamfi and Kwasi Appiah for example livened the atmosphere. Honestly, I have a soft spot for Kwasi Appiah who I have known intimately since 1982.
As an accomplished coach and top footballer in his youthful days, his ability to recapture fellow top coach Prosper Ogum to the club reveals his brilliant management skills.
There is no doubt that Coach Ogum knows his subject. It is on record that within one season he was able to turn a dull Kotoko side into a winnable force that won the Premier League hands down. Gladly, Otumfuo has given his word to provide every support to make the club rise again so all hands should be on deck to make it happen to this fabulous club of Africa described by my idol, Ohene Djan the legendary sports administrator as “indomitable soccer porcupines of Ashanti, enthusiastic and ever defiant, the club over whose popularity,the sun never sets”.
This fabulous club of Africa will be celebrating on 31st August 88 years of entertaining fans on the football pitch. I am expecting the day to be well celebrated. Incidentally, the celebration will be on the eve of the last Premier League to be organised by the Ghana Football Association since its inception in 1958.
The news is Kurt Okraku’s GFA has determined that from the 24/25 season the league will now be organised by a private company called GHANA PREMIER LEAGUE (caps mine). An official statement said it is a private company limited by shares owned by the 18 Premier league clubs with the Ghana Football Association owning a SPECIAL SHARE (emphasis mine).
“The company from the 24/25 season will be responsible for the organisation and management of the Ghana Premier League”.
I won’t pretend to know much about company codes so I won’t go there. My interest as a sports journalist is the role the National Sports
Authority will play vis a vis the use of national stadiums for a private company’s business.enterprise and the fate of “musical chairs” relegated clubs that will be going in and out of the 18 club Premier league each new season.
On this note I wish the “football people” the best of luck in all their grandiose programmes.
I will end today’s article with the usual profile of Asante Kotoko 1982 Africa Squad.
I completed that of Hearts 1985 last week.
Here we go.
ASANTE KOTOKO 1982 SQUAD
Andrews Kwasi Gyabaah
At 30, substitute full back Gyabaah is the oldest player in the club. No wonder he is affectionately referred to as “Old Gyabaah.”
A little over 5ft tall, Gyabaah does not look his age in the least. He appears strong and smart. He is not a particularly, crafty
player and he compensates for this with some superb close marking and first time clearances.
Born at Chiraa in the Brong Ahafo Region on August 8 1952, Gyabaah took to big time football in 1973 after completing his Elementary school
education. He featured regularly for Brong Ahafo United till he joined Kotoko in 1979.
Incidentally, Haruna Yusif also joined Kotoko from Cornerstone that same year and the two of them alternated for the number two position till Haruna finally got the upperhand.
Gyabaah, a civil servant is married to Aku Asantewa, a trader and they have two kids, Yaw Afranie and Kwaku Adowah. His parents are Amosah and Akua Yeboah, both farmers.
Albert Asase is Gyabaah’s local favourite player andJuni or of Brazil is his idol abroad.
Gyabaahs ambition is to play for the Black Stars but age is definitely not on his side.
ISAAK KWAKU AFRANIE
Hard running Afranie is one of Kotoko’s young promising stars. He has the knack for tearing deep into the heart of the opposing defence and with a little more experience, he will be a great asset to the club.
Born on 12th June 1959 at Kofa, Asante Akyem. Afranie is an electrician by profession. He started serious football with Tarkwa Gold Stars
in 1979 and later on featured for Prestea Mines Stars before finally joining the champions this year.
A father of one daughter, Patience, the fast winger is married to Phillipa Agyen Biritwum, a clerk at the Cocoa Marketing Board regional office in
Kumasi.
His parents are Opanin Kwadwo Kyere, a farmer and Felicia Amponsah, a trader.
Table tennis is his hobby and his ambition is to play for the Bkack Stars.
Papa Arko is his local idol and Koussi of the Algerian national team is his favourite abroad.
Afranie recalls that Kotoko’s victory over Cedar Club of Liberia is his happiest moment in his football career and, like most of his colleagues, the 2-0 defeat at the hands of Great Olympics in Kumasi is the saddest.
Cheers everybody and keep loving sports.
