FootyDream

Asante Kotoko goalkeeper, Felix Annan says he is hoping to win laurels, especially the Caf Champions League with the club before he leaves.

The Porcupine Warriors have struggled to win the prestigious trophy since winning it in 1983. They came close winning an African title in 1992, 2002 and 2004.

READ ALSO: Otumfuo’s ban on player recruitment good for consistency and team building – Felix Annan

Last season, the Ghanaian giants reached the group stage of the Caf Confederations Cup.

Speaking to Kumasi FM, Asante Kotoko captain reiterated his desire to leave a legacy behind which will see him remembered years to come.

“That has always been my wish, my wish has always been that every season I help the team to win trophies for this great club, especially the Champions League as far as I’m here. I will do my possible best to help the team win something that the fans will remember us for.

“I also want to leave a legacy and one day I will be remembered, after all I did my best and I gave my best for the club,” he added.

READ ALSO: I met my wife on Facebook – Kotoko captain Felix Annan

The 25-year-old was part of the Black Stars team that played the 2019 AFCON in Egypt after the Black Stars were knocked out by Tunisia in the round of 16 through penalty- shootout.

Former Black Stars coach, James Kwasi Appiah has disclosed that he is currently not interested in anything related to football.

READ ALSO: Ex-Ghana coach kwesi Appiah claims prejudice in salary delay

According to the former Ghanaian international, he is currently concentrating on other business which are not linked with football despite being linked to several clubs on the African continent.

Speaking to Wontumi Sports, the 61-year-old noted that although he is doing other things currently, he may consider his decision in future.

“Now I am not interested in football, my concentration is on other things, although I don’t know what will happen in the future,” Kwasi Appiah said.

“But I don’t want to know anything about football,” he added.

The Ghana Football Association decided against extending Appiah’s contract when it expired in December last year.

Appiah qualified the Black Stars of Ghana to the 2014 World Cup but could not qualify from the group comprising Germany and Portugal.

READ: “No Ghanaian coach has sacrificed more than Kwesi Appiah “

He guided the Black Stars to a fourth place finish at the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa.

If there had been doubts about the capacity of Accra Hearts of Oak to construct a facility in the make of the artist impressions seen on their Pobiman Project, those doubts are being dispelled. Evidence of work at the site points to a steady realisation of their ambition. Soon, the Phobians will join the small list of enviable football clubs in Ghana, who boasts ofmodern training and camping facilities – topmost of which – without question, is the West African Football Academy (WAFA).

READ ALSO:Commencement of Pobiman project is a dream come true – Hearts Board member Frank Nelson

Pictures online coupled with my interaction with Hearts officials confirm that, a good work has been underway in the last one month. Local contractors are currently laying the foundation for hostel facilities that will house the club’s u-15, u-17 and u-20 teams. Players of these teams will permanently be at Pobiman. These players will be nurtured not alone to take over from senior team players but also be sent abroad to live their dream of playing in Europe besides generating revenue for the club.

There will as well be apartments for senior team players, offices for the Director of Football, Technical Director, House Master, to oversee the activities of players. Other technical team members will also have offices. Additionally, there will be administrative offices – for the Chief Executive Officer, Communications Manager and the likes. A clinic, gymnasium, restaurant form part of the facility. Players will have a good feel of other sporting disciplines besides football; tennis, basketball, volley ball courts and swimming pools are part of the project. A quarter of the land is being used for all these.

READ ALSO: CEO of K.A Estate Ltd vows to complete groundwork of Hearts’ Pobiman Project in three months

Thus, the good news is, there will be enough space for expansion or other projects in future. Local contractors have 90 days to complete their work. By the 90 days, pre-fabricated materials will arrive from Turkey. It is the expectation of engineers that, installation of the pre-fabricated materials will take four months to complete. Communications Manager of Hearts of Oak, Kwame Opare-Addo discusses the massive facelift and other benefits they stand to gain.

“With this infrastructure, we will save money and be able to nurture players better. Player development is key. Our young talents will attract the best clubs if are nurtured well” he says as he adds that, Board Chairman of the club, Togbe Afede XIV wants to leave a great legacy. Opare-Addo further says, a completed Pobiman, collectively, will enhance the image of our club football in Ghana. It will be one bright spot in the area of clubs with useful infrastructure on our football landscape, he adds. I, agree, with him.

READ MORE: Work on Hearts’ Pobiman Academy project begins

By Jeromeotchere.com

A group of Asante Kotoko supporters, touched by the plight of a former driver of the team’s bus, on Saturday presented an undisclosed sum of money to him at his residence at Dichemso, a suburb of Kumasi.

The driver, Nana Berchie, who was at the helm when the Kotoko bus was involved in an accident on July 12, 2017 at Nkawkaw, recently shared his experience, three years after the accident.

He disclosed that although the club still pays his salary, things have not been easy for him. He has had difficulties raising funds to pay his rent and taking care of complications arising out of three surgeries he underwent after the accident.

Moved by Nana Berchie’s account on several Kumasi FM stations, supporters of the club in a WhatsApp group called “Porcupines” and led by Kotoko Express Editor, Jerome Otchere, contributed financially for three weeks to pay the rent of their former driver.

Jerome Otchere in a Facebook post wrote as thus: “About three weeks ago, one of Kotoko’s dedicated servants, Nana Berchie, the driver involved in the July 12 accident at Nkawkaw was in the news sharing his experience three years after the accident and his multiple surgeries.

“He talked about financial constraints, his rent and other issues. This moved fans in the “Porcupines” WhatsApp group to raise funds for him. I’m not disclosing how much was raised but I happily report that, the generosity of our fans has today led to the payment of his rent for years. 

“Accompanying this text are pictures of fans who presented the money to him. He was touched – nearly moved to tears because he was unaware. This is the type of fans Kotoko have: Nice, kind and wonderful people! Keep up the spirit!” 

In recent weeks, victims of Kotoko’s July 12, 2017 accident have been in the media demanding compensation from the leadership of the club. There have also been questions over the whereabouts of over GH¢120,000 donated by individuals and groups to the accident victims.   

By Obed Echia

Board member of Asante Kotoko, Kofi Amoa-Abban has issued a cheque to the club’s accountant to clear outstanding salaries of players for the past three months.

According to reports monitored on Kumasi FM, the players will be paid latest tomorrow with a 30% deduction.

There has been uneasiness amongst the players in the last couple of months due to some monies they were owed by the club.

On Tuesday, July 28, 2020, it was reported that some of the players pleaded with their friends in the local media to speak on their behalf in a bid to reach the board publicly.

However, the Rigworld Chief Executive Officer in a swift response Thursday has put measures in place for the payment of the players’ salary arrears by issuing a cheque to that effect.

Meanwhile, Kofi Amoa-Abban Wednesday donated food items to all Muslim players in the club ahead of the Eid Al-Adha.

Kotoko are still in search of a substantive CEO.