FootyDream

Some people have wondered how Asante Kotoko Chief Executive Officer, Nana Yaw Ampomah has managed to secure sponsorships for the club in amidst the Covid-19 pandemic while within the same time and space, the Ghana Football Association (GFA) heirachy have been on similar duties but without successes to talk of.

The simple answers are that seeking sponsors for a league competition no matter how well and attractive that league is, can’t be the same as getting corporate partners and sponsors for a football club. What goes into both differ very much.

It’s the reason we don’t have to ignorantly foist that conversation on ourselves to make the GFA look unjustifiably bad. They’ve made efforts to land sponsorship for the Ghana Premier League (GPL). It’s just that their inputs haven’t yielded the kind of fruits desirable for the GPL. It has to be reiterated however that, it’s not entirely true that, the GPL isn’t sellable to corporate businesses in Ghana.

My view is, there’s collective disbelieve in the product we want to sell as well as the officers selling the product. By officers, I mean key actors involved in marketing and promoting the GPL to warrant the sort of investment we want for it. I’ll elaborate on this later but the earlier we worked hard to change perceptions the better.

Superficial PR gimmicks won’t work. Rather, diligent tasks at improving standards in the competition backed by proper, sustainable media engagement, possibly will provide clues to the unanswered questions on GPL’s marketability and sponsorship.

We’ve to consciously build the GPL brand to win the trust of businesses like Asante Kotoko’s NYA is doing. Take it or leave it, the credibility of Kotoko’s brand is presently stronger than previously. And this has been as a result of Management’s intentional effort to situate the club in totally different lights. I haven’t seen that with the GPL yet.

For instance, Access Bank aren’t getting Kotoko a bus for the sake of it. They would’ve done same for others if it was so. Kotoko and Access Bank have something for mutual business benefits. That’s how it works. NYA’s leadership is pulling the right plugs, ensuring Kotoko’s well-placed on the minds of serious businesses.

Team performance aside, managerially, Kotoko is becoming robust with clear, visionary plans. In fact, the things NYA’s steadily doing; activating his vast networks, recruiting competent technical managers and players; utilising supporters’ loyalty to raise funds, being transparent, meaningfully engaging the media and other stakeholders; these things, put together are repositioning Kotoko.

It’s more than a bus to ride on. They’re positive developments for Asante Kotoko to thrive and to, as always, set the best standards for the GPL and our football at large.

-Jeromeotchere.com

Chelsea forward, Callum Hudson-Odoi has disclosed that watching Hearts of Oak remains the craziest experience he’s ever had in his life following his visit to Ghana.

The 21-year-old was in the West African country for holiday. The promising held talks with President Nana Akufo-Addo during his stay.

Hudson-Odoi was at the stadium to watch Ghana Premier League game between Accra rivals Hearts of Oak and Great Olympics at the Accra Sports Stadium.

Speaking about his experience in Ghana, Hudson-Odoi said watching his father’s former club remains the craziest experience in his life.

“The craziest experience I’ve ever been to is watching a match there. I went to the stadium, Hearts of Oak. I literally couldn’t get in it was so packed with fans trying to get inside any way possible,” he told the Daily Mail.

“Because it was my first time coming back in a while, everyone was looking for me and crazy for me. My dad used to play there and it’s nice to see and experience where he used to play. But at the same with me I’m just dying, everyone was just crowding me!”

The winger’s father, Bismark Odoi, played for Hearts and won several laurels with the Phobians some decades ago.

Hudson-Odoi also opened up on why he turned down a call-up to play for England’s U21 team last year.

According to the winger, he wasn’t being arrogant when he turned down the call-up, insisting he only wanted to focus on becoming a regular at Chelsea.

“I didn’t go to England because I thought I was bigger than them or I was being big time or anything like that.

“It was just me trying to get back into the team in Chelsea and focusing on club football as much as possible: to be a regular player, an option to always play and be involved.

“People thought: “Oh, he’s being big time or arrogant”. Or he’s being somebody he shouldn’t be. I’m not that person at all,” Hudson-Odoi added.

The Ghana FA is still hopeful of getting the Chelsea star to switch nationality to play for the Black Stars.

-Footballghana

Ghana Premier League club Ashantigold SC have mutually terminated the contract of head coach Henry Haeusler.

The German gaffer took over the Miners on January 20, 2022 on a two-year deal after the club had sacked Ernest Thompson Quartey but his stint has been cut short due to bad results in the 2021/22 Ghana Premier League.

Haeusler was in charge for just three games, failing to win any of them after picking a drawn and two defeats with the latest being a 1-4 loss to Eleven Wonders at the Len Clay Stadium last weekend.

He leaves the Miners on the 12th position on the league log with 22 points after 18 games.

In the last three years, Ashantigold, led by Dr Kwaku Frimpong have sacked 15 coaches. That is appointing five coaches every season averaging one coach in every 2 and half months.

Meanwhile, Ashantigold will take on Karela United next weekend in a Premier League matchweek 19 clash in Aiyinase.