Chairman of the National Chapters Committee of Accra Hearts of Oak, Mr Elvis Hesse Herman has called on the club’s management to approach Sulley Muntari despite his rumoured move to the PSL.
Mr. Elvis Hesse Herman disclosed in an interview on FOX FM that the 2000 CAF champions league winners can still present an offer for the former Black stars midfielder.
Elvis Hesse Herman has said that the leadership of Hearts of Oak and Asante Kotoko supporters held a meeting to promote their rivalry contrary to reports that they want to merge in fighting for a common cause.
The executives of the National Chapters Committee and the National Circles Council of Kotoko held a successful meeting Sunday to exchange ideas as to how to strengthen their respective fans base.
They also discussed ways – as supporters group they can help propel their clubs to rediscover their glory days
The executives also took the opportunity to deliberate on thr friendly game which was organized for the two sides in the United kingdom but could not come on as planned due to the outbreak of the novel COVID-19 pandemic.
Speaking to Kumasi-based Fox FM, Elvis Hesse – who is the Chairman of the Hearts Of Oak NCC noted the duo have agreed to organize a match ss they will take the opportunity to educate their numerous suppliers.
“Section of the supporters who applied for Visa’s have been demanding back their passports for other purposes, so we tried to meet the organizers of the trip”.
“We proposed to organize games after COVID-19 between the supporters and also to raise funds”
“Hearts and Kotoko are not enemies, but the rivalry will continue,”
Asante Kotoko Board member Joseph Yaw Adu has mentioned that the board is not in a haste to appoint a substantive CEO to administer the day-to-day activities of the club.
The Porcupine Warriors are yet to name a new Management Team after the George Amoako-led management was dissolved last month.
The supporters of the club have been yearning to know the next CEO of the club after it emerged that Nana Yaw Amponsah was going to be named as the permanent Chief of the Ghanaian giants.
The owner and Bankroller of Phar Rangers was interviewed by the board of directors of Kotoko and he is line to land the vacant position.
But speaking in an interview with Kumasi FM, the former Director of Sports at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology has reiterated that the Ghana Premier League record holders will not rush to appoint anyone as CEO.
“We will not rush in doing things,the media is speculating and given so much pressure to the board.
“We have to make sure all structures are in place and all conditions are favorable for him.
He continued: “We will give him our policies for him to run the club with and also take charge of the day-to-day running of the club.
“We have to make sure everything is put in the right place. Kotoko is too big a club to be run by an individual,the highest decision body will be the board.We are not relying on the chief executive officer.
“We are not in a hurry to appoint.We have to take things slowly,take our time to do the right thing at the right time,” he reiterated.
Ghana Football Association President, Kurt Edwin Simon Okraku has gone in to rescue a former Ghanaian footballer Abdul Wahid Bunga – who has lost his sight since the 2007/08 season.
Wahid Bunga complained of finding it difficult to see when he trekked with his team Young Goldfields of Techiman – a lower division side – to honour a mini tournament in Sunyani, 2007.
After meeting Wahid Bunga in Techiman in his recent visit, the Ghana FA Capo has promised him a monthly allowance of GHS 500.
Additionally, Mr. Kurt Okraku has tasked CEO of Eleven Wonders Albert Commey to ensure Wahid Bunga opens a bank account.
Commey has been asked to bring Wahid Bunga to Accra so that doctors will access his eye situation and do the surgery so that if possible he can see again.
“I very grateful to Mr. Okraku for what he has done to me. It’s true he asked me to establish an account so that he will be sending me something a month.
” I also want to thank Mr Albert Commey, because if not him I wouldn’t be able to meet the GFA President.”
Football had been in Ghana long before 1958, as the British introduced what will later become the heart of nation in the early 1900s.
However, 1958 represented a turning point as football was reformed leading to the inception of the national football league.
The Football Association was given the sole mandate of organising club competitions in the country.
The maiden football league which kicked off on July 6, 1958 saw eight clubs; Hearts of Oak, Great Olympics, Asante Kotoko, Cornerstone, Hasaacas, Eleven Wise, Mysterious Dwarfs and Venomous Vipers; compete eagerly in a round robin format.
Hearts of Oak were crowned champions as they finished one point above Kumasi-based side Cornerstone.
However, 62 years later and the Phobians didn’t make use of their head start as rivals Asante Kotoko lead the way in terms of points accumulation since the inauguration of the league.
The fabulous domination
After Hearts won the maiden league, Kotoko responded immediately by winning the league in 1959.
Kotoko would go on to win 16 out of a possible 30 league titles in the next 34 years. Setting a record in the 1963-64 season after becoming the first side to go through the first round of the league without defeat, winning 16 games and drawing one.
The Porcupine Warriors lead the way in terms of total points accumulated since the 1958 season till date with 2,371 points.
A total which is 83 points above rivals Hearts demonstrating just how dominant the Kumasi-based club have been over the years.
With the last 10 winners of the Ghana Premier League averaging just over 55 points, Hearts will need to win two leagues in which Kotoko don’t participate in order to surpass their total points accumulation.
Breakdown of Ghana Premier League winners since 1958
Overall, Kotoko have won 23 Ghana Premier League titles – the most by any team.
Although Kotoko have won just six league titles (excluding the 2019 NC Special Cup) since the turn of the century, they are still four trophies ahead of their closest rivals Hearts.
It’s the nature within which Kotoko won some of those league titles that has ensured that their total points override that of Hearts’ since 1980.
The Porcupine Warriors currently boast of the record of the biggest title winning margin. In the 2007/08 season, Bashir Hayford’s side finished with a staggering 69 points – 16 points above Lions who finished second.
Biggest title winning margins in the Ghana Premier League
It was a season to remember for Kotoko as they scored an incredible 53 goals in 30 games conceding just 18. Unfortunately, Hayford was sacked shortly after this remarkable feat.
Kotoko have bettered the tally of 69 points in a season although it is not recognised as the highest in the league history.
Most title winning points in a single Ghana Premier League campaign
In 2003, the Porcupine Warriors ended Hearts’ dominance which had seen the Phobians win six league titles in a row.
It required 75 points for Kotoko to snatch the league title from their bitter rivals. A difficult task which was made easier by the acquisition of Charles Taylor from Hearts.
Looking forward
In terms of milestones, the 23 time Premier League champions were the first to hit 1,000 and 2,000 accumulated points in 1989 and 2011 respectively.
The big question remains as to whether Kotoko will be the first team to reach 3,000 accumulated points.
The last time Asantehene’s side won the Premier League was in 2013-14 and for a club of Kotoko’s stature, that is a lengthy period without a league title.
Before the 2019/20 season was cancelled, Kotoko sat in third place just three points behind table toppers Aduana Stars with a game in hand.
Kotoko had defeated Hearts 2-1 at the Accra Sports Stadium in the 2019/20 season
The season came with its ups and downs, however, it presented another chance to establish a wider gap between themselves and Hearts.
The Phobians who had a shaky start to the season were wandering around midtable four points behind Kotoko.
On paper, Kotoko have set the ball rolling in terms of transitions as they set their eyes back to the top of Ghana football.
Appointing a new board, placing a ban on player recruitment for a year and the imminent announcement of a CEO who will focus on the business aspect of the club suggests that the Kumasi-based club are eyeing point number 3,000.
They would want to reach that landmark in fascinating style accompanied with some Premier League titles as well.
The fortunes of Kotoko may have been helped by their closest rivals Hearts who have also been on a slump recently.
The Phobians have not won a league title since 2008-2009.
Asante Kotoko have an enormous task ahead especially if they want to replicate their early history form which saw them crowned African club of the 20th century by the International Federation of Football History.
Today, they celebrate being on top in terms of accumulated points from the past 62 seasons.
Get yourselves attached to new clubs or resign from the Ghana FA ExCo – Delali Senaye to Fred Ache and George Amoako
Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Inter Allies FC Delali Senaye has advised two Executive Council Members of the Ghana Football Association – Fredrick Acheampong and George Amoako – to get themselves attached to Premier League clubs to help serve their purpose.
The duo are no more with the clubs they were attacked prior to their election onto the Ghana FA Executive.
Frederick Acheampong – who was the Chief Executive Officer of AshantiGold resigned from his position in April this year on personal grounds. George Amoako on the other hand, was sacked by Asante Kotoko in June after the club’s Management Team was dissolved to make way for a new one.
Delali Senaye
Some stakeholders in the game have questioned their existence on the ExCo after leaving their respective teams.
Speaking on Extra Time over the weekend, Delali Senaya insists the two are experienced enough but it will be in their interest to join new Premier League clubs to enable them to continue to serve the interest of premier league clubs on the ExCo or resign.
“Clubs and some administrators in recent times have been having concerns on this issue that when an officer that represent a larger group in such body is no longer attached to that body like the premier league , he will not have the best interest of the league at Exco level”
“So for that reason is either they get attached to a premier league club which won’t be difficult for them to do or they should do the honorable thing to resign that’s the discussions amongst the clubs” Delali Senaye told Starr Sports
“ Personally I think the two gentlemen are experienced enough but looking at where we are coming from and where we are going, it will be in the interest of them and for football for them to get attached to a premier league club for them to serve the interest of the larger boy “he added.
Goalkeepers trainer of Asante Kotoko, Sampson Appiah has stated Kotoko captain Felix Annan cannot reclaim the number one spot in the goalpost with ease looking at the performances of Kwame Baah since he got the nod.
Felix Annan was Kotoko’s first-choice goalkeeper until he sought permission to hold his wedding ceremony in January this year, when the 2019-20 Ghana Premier League which has been annulled was in week four.
His position was subsequently taken by then second-choice and Black Meteors goalkeeper, Kwame Baah.
Baah has been fantastic since grabbing the opportunity and conceded fewer goals in post for Kotoko.
Goalkeeper Kwame Baah
Sampson Appiah in an interview with Kweku Osei TV on YouTube said, “Felix used to be our first-choice goalie before his wedding ceremony but Kwame Baah grabbed the opportunity and did very well without conceding most in matches so how can you drop him”, he quizzed
Some people were of the opinion that a number one goalkeeper should always be fixed back into his position when any situation keeps him out for a while.
But Sampson claimed “the supporters would have killed us if Annan underperforms when given the nod. There’s no personal hatred for him but following the rules of the game, hard work will be the secret of him regaining his position devoid of any envies.”
Felix Annan also lost his place in the Black Stars as he was snubbed by Coach CK Akonnor ahead of the postponed 2021 Afcon qualifiers.
Samuel Tetteh has penned a goodbye message to loan club LASK Linz.
The Ghanaian striker Samuel Tetteh has gone back to his parent club Red Bull Salzburg following the expiration of his loan spell with LASK Linz in the Austrian Bundesliga.
The former WAFA winger decided against extending his stay at LASK despite enjoying a good stay, scoring seven goals for the side with five assists.
The 23-year old has two years left on his contract with Austrian Champions Red Bull Salzburg, and will be expected to fight for a place in the upcoming season.
Tetteh is reported to be on the radar for several European clubs after the impressive performances at LASK Linz.
The former WAFA attacker joined the youth side of Red Bull Salzburg, FC Liefring in 2016, before moving to the senior side in 2017.
He then joined LASK on loan, and has since been one of the best players at the club.
Asante Kotoko Board of Directors are reportedly on the verge of naming a three-member Interim Management Team to see to the day-to-day activities of the club.
According to a report filed by Oyerepa FM Sports the board has resolved to name an interim management team to steer affairs of the club till a Substantive Chief Executive Officer is appointed who will intend form a Management Team.
Mr. Joseph Yaw Adu
This IMT according to the Kumasi-based Radio FM’s source will be headed by Mr Justice Yaw Adu – a retired Sports director barring any last minute change with Evelyn Nsiah Asare Mrs and another person as members.
Evelyn Nsiah Asare
Joseph Yaw Adu, on Sunday denied being appointed as an acting CEO but sources indicate the announcement will made soon.
Nana Yaw Amponsah is leading the race to become the next CEO of Kotoko, having been interviewed by the board last month.
The duo played together for the Black Stars of Ghana during the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, where Ghana got elimination at the quarter-finals stage by Uruguay.
UYOKOHAMA, JAPAN – SEPTEMBER 10: Samuel Inkoom of Ghana controls the ball during the international friendly match between Japan and Ghana at International Stadium Yokohama on September 10, 2013 in Yokohama, Japan. (Photo by Adam Pretty/Getty Images)
“I don’t know how to describe him,” Inkoom told Goal. “Gyan is one of the strikers who has great timing, he smells – he’s always smelling, like George Weah, he can smell where the ball will come, and he’s very good at finishing.
“As a striker he has everything; he has the skill, he can pass, he can dribble, he has good technique, he’s very good in the air,” the full-back continued. “He has everything.”
“For me, he’s phenomenal,” Inkoom continued. “He’s the African player who has the most goals at the World Cup – six – so Gyan always wants to prove a point and to die for his country.
“Gyan is very talented striker, very gifted.”
Gyan had some great times during the 2010 World Cup scoring three goals before Ghana was eliminated from the Mundial.
Before the 2010 World Cup, Gyan had netted the first of his six goals at the tournament in the 2006 edition in Germany, when he bagged the opener for the Black Stars in their 2-0 victory over the Czech Republic.
Eight years after that, in 2014, he scored against both Germany and Portugal in the group stage, as Ghana drew with the former and were defeated 2-1 by the latter.
Asamoah Gyan is Ghana’s all-time top scorer with 51 goals in 109 appearances after earning his debut call-up in 2003.
