FootyDream

Former Ghana Premier League top scorer, Prince Tagoe has said that, Kotoko striker, Franck Mbella’s performance should not be judged by just a season.

The Cameroon striker scored 21 times last season, missing the top scorer’s award by just a goal to AshantiGold forward, Yaw Annor.

Tagoe, 35, won the Ghana Premier League top scorer’s gong with 18 goals in 2005 while at Hearts of Oak and he believes Mbella needs one more season to be better.

“I think he has done well but when you look the current league we are playing, it’s not that very strong like our time.

“I don’t think the goals he scored is bad, he is a very good striker and maybe this is just the first season.

“We should wait and see, we just don’t have to judge a player with just a first season.

“I think he is doing well, you can’t take from him, his finishing is good,” Prince Tagoe told Radio Gold Sports.

“I mean there is a whole lot of things that needs to be worked in the Premier League.

“When those things are worked on, we will get a very competitive league and we will get a lot of sponsorships.” Prince Tagoe told Radio Gold Sports.

FA Cup champions Hearts of Oak are set to undergo a massive clear out with five players destined to leave the club in order to make room for some new signings.

Coach Samuel Boadu has strengthened the depth of his squad with the acquisition of Cameroon and Central African Republic forwards, Junior Kaaba and Yassan Ouatching respectively to booster their attack with Konadu Yiadom expected to join them in the next few days as reported in the media.

A source available to this website indicates that as many as ten players could leave the club before the commencement of the new season either on loan or permanently, to accommodate the arrival of Boadu’s new recruits.

There are several Hearts stars whose futures seem destined to lie away from Accra. Striker Kofi Kordzi has barely featured in games last season despite being the second top scorer of the club and is reported to be leaving the club.

Fellow teammate Frederick Ansah Botchway is coming to the end of his contract, and he is expected to depart on a free transfer.

Auroras graduate, Abdul Umar Manaf could finally part ways with the club after struggling to break into the Hearts team since the arrival of Samuel Boadu. The youngster wanted a move away from the club before the start of the season but the club denied him.

Another player likely to leave the club is goalkeeper Richard Baidoo. Baidoo after the Confederation Cup campaign last season failed to make a single appearance for the club in the league and could fancy a move away from the club with Aduana Stars already showing interest in him.

Last on the card is captain Fatawu Mohammed. Fatawu has reportedly shown gross indiscipline in the team and the hierarchy of the club aren’t happy with his attitude and could allow him leave after several years of service to look elsewhere.

Asante Kotoko according to Opemsuo radio are close to signing Tema Youth forward Evans Osei-Wusu.

Osei-Wusu was arguably the most consistent and complete player in Ghana’s second-tier football in the 2021/22 Ghana Division One League with shocking numbers.

The forward led the top goal scorers chart with 20 goals, provided eight (8) assists which prove he doesn’t only score but provides too and 12 MVP awards, most in the division one for the Harbor Warriors.

The lethal attacking weapon according to Opemsuo has agreed to don the Red and White colors and the deal is close unless a last minute change of mind to consider offers abroad.

Should the Porcupines land the 21-year-old, he will be a major boost for the attacking lines heading to Africa and next season’s Ghana Premier League and the MTN FA Cup.

Evans Osei-Wusu with Black Meteors in Eqypt in 2019.

Evans Osei-Wusu has represented Ghana at the Under-23 level in the past with his previous performances. He was a member of the Black Meteors side that represented the nation at the U-23 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt in 2019 and it’s currently with the Black Galaxies team preparing for the CHAN qualifiers against Benin.

Asante Kotoko could be faced with big decisions regarding the futures of several of their first-team players come end of the season to build a stronger team for next season.

The Porcupines are, as always, linked with a number of talented players around the GPL and in Africa. Therefore spaces need to be created for the expected newcomers.

Kotoko brought in plenty of new players in the past transfer window but for a few of them, things have not really gone well in Kumasi. Additionally, there had been a few players who enjoyed regular playing minutes under Prosper Narteh Ogum.

So here are six players who could be heading for the exit door of the Porcupines after the exit of Fabio Gama.

Kwame Baah

The goalkeeper has been fighting for the number one spot for two seasons without success after losing it to Razak Abalora in the 2020/21 GPL season and in the current season to Danlad Ibrahim.

His contract is running out and reports suggest he has decided to move to play regular football somewhere.

Solomon Sarfo Taylor

The forward is coming to the end of his contract, and he is expected to depart on a free transfer this summer.

With George Mfegues and Franck Etouga strengthening Ogum’s attacking options, Solomon Sarfo Taylor struggled to gain significant playing time last season  just like his first season, and the man who once grabbed the headlines regularly during his Karela FC days should pick his bags try his luck elsewhere.

Emmanuel Keyekeh

He sparkled for Anyinase based Karela FC and was considered good enough to land him a deal with the Porcupines. The midfielder has flattered to deceive since making the move to Kumasi making it difficult to grab a place in Prosper Narteh Ogum’s new look Kotoko side.

Keyekeh is way behind the likes of Sheriff Mohammed, Richard Boadu and Justice Blay in the pecking order. It wouldn’t be a bad idea if Keyekeh picks his bag and push for a brief move away from Kotoko.

Emmanuel Sarkodie

At one stage in the first round of the season, he looked like one of the brightest prospects around but things went downhill and was sent out on loan to King Faisal but could not survive and has returned to Kotoko.

The midfielder could be told to leave for another club in what could be termed as a disappointing spell in Kumasi.

Evans Adomako

Kotoko’s top scorer in the MTN FA Cup two seasons ago could be asked to leave and seek more game times elsewhere having suffered a poor start to his Porcupines’ career.

The forward seemed like a good business when he arrived but the former Phar Rangers man’s offensive vulnerabilities have been horrifically exposed ever since. He doesn’t add anything special going forward and his lack of pace have meant he loses his place in the Kotoko starting XI.

He has looked a little short of confidence in games he featured for the Porcupines, though, probably not helped by being hung out to dry as a second striker and not a target man. Perhaps, he just needs a loan move away from the club to realise his potentials.

Patrick Asmah

After two seasons with Kotoko, the former Atalanta defender looks likely to leave the Reds.

Few months ago there was a brazen argument with the technical team – leading to a suspension until the end of the season. It’s been speculated that he’s been told to look elsewhere as he’s not part of Ogum’s plans next season and could lead to his departure.

Bitterest rivals Accra Hearts of Oak and Great Olympics will face off in the 2022 Ga Mantse Cup next month.

The game will be played at the Accra Sports Stadium on Sunday, August 7.

Hearts of Oak will be hoping to use the game to avenge the 1-0 and the 3-0 defeats they suffered in the hands of Olympics in the just ended League season. For Olympics, it’s an opportunity to inflict more pains on the Phobians.

The Ga Mantse Cup is a special football match designed to honour King Tackie Teiko Tsuru II. The game which forms part of the Homowo celebration will be making a return after a 3-year hiatus due to Covid-19.

The last edition which was played in 2019 was cliched by Hearts of Oak, defeating Olympics 3-1 on penalty shootouts after a 1-1 draw game.

Meanwhile, the Ga Mantse Soccer School of Excellence which is to unearth sporting talents in the Ga community as unveiled on Friday, July 8, at the Accra International Conference Center.