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The Ghana Football Association will be crowning Asante Kotoko SC as champions of the 2021/22 Ghana Premier League Season  on Sunday June 12, 2022 when they host Elmina Sharks FC on Matchday 33

The match will kick off at 6pm at the Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi.

The Porcupine warriors have emerged as winners of the league with three more Matchdays to the end of the season.

After a 1-1 draw with Ashantigold SC on Thursday Asante Kotoko currently have 60 points, 10 more points than second-placed Bechem United FC.

Officials of the GFA will be at the Baba Yara Stadium to present the GPL trophy and medals to the players and technical staff of the club.

The Club will also be presented with the prize money for winning the league.

Legon Cities head coach Maxwell Konadu has congratulated his former side Asante Kotoko on winning the 2021-22 Ghana Premier League title.

The Porcupines were crowned champions after holding regional rivals Ashantigold to a 1-1 draw at the Len Clay stadium.

The draw was enough to secure the Porcupines’ first title since 2014, dethroning sworn rivals Hearts of Oak, who won the trophy last season.

Kotoko are deserving winners this time, having made a strong start and maintained their high level for the majority of the campaign.

They travelled to Dubai, the United Arab Emirates for pre-season, which has been praised given their spectacular run to the title.

And Maxwell Konadu who has managedand played the club took to his Twitter handle to congratulate the champions elect.

Asante Kotoko head coach, Prosper Narteh Ogum has extended appreciation to his critics, insisting that their criticism has strengthened and made him a better coach this season.

Since taking the Porcupines job, the manager has not only received a lot of praise but numerous criticisms as well.

Today, the gaffer guided Asante Kotoko to draw 1-1 with Ashanti Gold SC to become Champions of the 2021/22 Ghana Premier League season.

Speaking to StarTimes after the game, Coach Prosper Narteh Ogum said he hopes his critics continue hitting him hard.

“Criticisms come to make us better and stronger, I accept all the constructive criticisms including disruptive ones. I want to tell all those who did that to know it has strengthened and toughened me and I can’t wait to hear more of such to make me a better person,” the Asante Kotoko coach said.

In today’s match, Yaw Annor scored for Ashanti Gold SC while Maxwell Agyemang equalised to draw parity for Asante Kotoko to force the match to end in a stalemate.

Asante Kotoko coach Prosper Ogum Narteh has named his squad to face Ashantigold in the Ghana Premier League matchday 29 outstanding fixture at the Len Clay Stadium this afternoon.

Coach Ogum has opted to maintain Maxwell Agyemang who will partner Andrew Appau in the center of defence with Nettey and Imoro flanking them.

Also, Cameroonian striker Georges Mfegue Rodrigues has returned to the team as a replacement for Mudasiru Salifu.

Evans Adomako will be starting his second game for the club this season.

Kotoko are hoping to wrap up the league title with a win or a draw in this game.

Kotoko XI vs Ashantigold:

Ibrahim Danlad (GK), Christopher Nettey, Maxwell Agyemang, Imoro Ibrahim ( C ), Andrews Apau, Richard Boadu ‘Agadas’, Richmond Lamptey, Evans Adomako, Etouga Mbella, Samuel Boateng, Georges Mfegue.

If you didn’t know, Medeama SC will move to a brand new stadium next season, leaving behind the temporary home that’s the Akoon Park.

With just about few months to go, work on Medeama’s new stadium is well underway and this was further documented by new drone footage that dropped today by the club.

A pretty unique sight compared to many other modern day arenas, Medeama’s new stadium has four distinct stands, with the one that can be seen on the right side early on in the video standing out in particular.

The 10,000 seater capacity, which is fully covered, is estimated to cost $16 million and is being funded by Goldfields Ghana Limited and it will be ready in November 2022.

A retractable roof will be added to the stadium in a bid to modernise and convert the stadium into an avant-garde architectural icon.

The stadium will act as an economic invigorator and will contribute to strengthening the image of the mining town.

The revamped venue will also feature a complete seating capacity and involves redesigning the pitch, VIP, media stands, tickets boot, drainage amongst others.

The edifice will also boast an electronic scoreboard running around its perimeter.

The stadium when completed will be used by Ghana Premier League side Medeama and Division One League side Wassaman United.

Watch the video below:

Asante Kotoko could wrap up the title today if they avoid defeat today against Ashantigold in a GPL Week 29 outstanding game.

The matchday 29 fixture originally scheduled for May 19 at the Obuasi Len Clay Stadium had to be postponed following security intelligence and advise from the Ghana Police Service after irate AshantiGold fans planned to cause violence when initially hit with the news that the team has been demoted to Division Two after match-fixing scandal.

Kotoko need at least a point from this afternoon’s game to be crowned champions of the 2021/22 League season.

Prosper Narteh’s side who are on 59 points can secure their 25th title today with 3 games to spare if they come out of Obuasi unscattered.

The Porcupines, going into the game have been handed a boost as Georges Mfegue who played no part in Medeama is fully fit to start this game.

Also, Etouga who picked up a second-half knock against last Sunday has passed fit for the crucial game this this afternoon and he will start.

Abdul Ganiyu, Stephen Amankona and Mubarik Yusistill could not recover from their respective injuries and hence will not be available for selection.

ASANTE KOTOKO’S SUSPENSION LIST

The Porcupines will have no Mudasiru Salifu for this game due to his red card against Medeama last weekend. Patrick Asmah is out due to his suspension by the club.

Below is the full squad in Obuasi:

Goalkeepers: Danlad Ibrahim, Kwame Baah

Defenders: Andrews Appau, Samuel Appiah, Christopher Nettey, Maxwell Agyemang, *Mubarik Yusif*, Imoro Ibrahim, Charles Owusu.

Midfielders: Emmanuel Keyekeh, Fabio Gama, Richmond Lamptey, Richard Boadu, Clinton Opoku.

Attackers: Georges Mfegue, Franck Etouga, Dickson Afoakwa, Andy Kumi, Samuel Boateng, Evans Adomako, Sarfo Taylor, *Stephen Amankona*

The President of the Sports Writers Association of Ghana (SWAG), Mr Kwabena Yeboah has advised Ghana Premier League clubs to pay their players monthly salaries of at least $2,000 if they want to halt the mass exodus of football talent from the country.

Speaking at the League Amplification and Season Review organised by Betway Ghana with support from the Sports Writers Association of Ghana (SWAG) and the Ghana League Clubs Association (GHALCA) on Tuesday in Accra, Mr Yeboah said the major way to make the league attractive was to try as much as possible to keep the best players for as long as possible with meaningful wages.

Specifically, he urged giants Accra Hearts of Oak and Kumasi Asante Kotoko to pay their players not less than $2,000 to ensure that they stay for longer at those clubs.

He argued that if teams in Tanzania, Benin and the Democratic Republic of Congo were paying such wages, then Hearts and Kotoko with their massive fanbases should be able to match them.

“Even if you pay $2,000, some of the players are going to leave but it’s the least some of the top teams can pay to minimise the exodus by paying meaningful rates,” Mr Yeboah argued.

“It’s the reason, we continue to fire coaches because coaches are not magicians and only reflect the quality of the materials they have.

“We should tackle the fundamental problem which is paying the players well to ensure they stay in the country”.

Slave wages
The sports journalists chief also described as unacceptable the situation where players were deemed professionals even though they were paid between GH₵300 andGH₵500.

He said with such low “slave wages” it was no surprise that players were departing the Ghana Premier League for destinations that were not known for their football.

He also urged all the topflight clubs to seek meaningful corporate sponsorships that will enable them to match wages being offered elsewhere.

“Very key to maintain the integrity of the league and keep fans interested is an attempt to halt the exodus by seeking sponsorships to ensure that players are paid well and don’t leave in droves,” he said.

“The exodus is killing the league because stars keep fans excited and interested in football and we have to minimise it to be in good business”.

Similarly, the Chairman of GHALCA, Mr Kudzo Fianoo, urged the clubs to nurture talented footballers and benefit from them before they are sold to top leagues.

Mr Fianoo also advised the clubs to make their stadia very comfortable and inviting to spectators.

He also commended Betway for leading such thought-leadership seminars and seminars that seek to develop local football.

Mr Fianoo also stated that his outfit was looking forward to more collaborations with Betway in the future, noting that the bookmakers had already collaborated with GHALCA on many off-the-pitch and on-the-pitch events in the past.

Participants

Participants at the two-hour workshop included members of SWAG, GHALCA and representatives of the various GPL clubs.

Source: Graphic Online