Veteran Ghanaian Journalist Kwabena Yeboah has revealed the secret behind Ghana Premier League giant’s Asante Kotoko SC sinking in recent times.
According to President of the Sports Writers Association of Ghana(SWAG), the former CAF Champions League winner’s Asante Kotoko are not dominating in the local league and Africa because of poor structures and governance.
Asante Kotoko over decades now, have being tagged as ‘sleeping giant’s’ for their inconsistency and poor performance in Africa.
Kotoko since winning the Africa Cup of Champions Clubs in 1970 and 1983 has failed to impress in Africa. With their dominance in the 80’s, Asante Kotoko were named Africa’s club of the 20th Century.
With Otumfour Osei Tutu II (Overlord of the Ashanti Kingdom and Owner of the Club) constituting 9 member board of directors through Manhyia Palace, wants to begin a new quest to get the club back to its old glory days.
The board will be led by Executive Chairman of the Club Dr. Kwame Kyei.
Kwabena Yeboah who is a staunch Kotoko follower has revealed how the club can steer itself back to prominence in African football.
“The poor structures and governance are the banes of the club. Without the structures, you won’t be able to attract sponsorship”.
“When Kotoko was the best team in Ghana it was because Kotoko financially was the biggest”So Kotoko attracted the best materials from this country. Every player who was then good enough was then eager to play for Asante Kotoko”, he told TV3.
“All has changed and as we speak, Kotoko are not even able to attract the best of materials on the local scene, how are you able to compete in Africa, and season after season you’re losing all your players to the rest of Africa because your finances are so weak”.
“Until the finances get very very strong, and when I talk about strong finances I am not talking about shallow pockets, I am talking about deep pockets…I am talking about several millions of dollars and that is the only time Kotoko can compete favourably in Africa. That is where Kotoko must be striving to and not what we see right now” Yeboah concluded.
