A patron of Kumasi Asante Kotoko, Mr Assad Mallah, has appealed to the management of the club not to heed a section of the fans' demand for the replacement of head coach Bashir Hayford.

“My appeal, however, to management is not to engage any expatriate should they decide to go in for another coach,” he cautioned, asking all to be circumspect in their demand.

In a statement, Mr Mallah said he had read reports in the media where supporters condemned the coach for his performance, amid calls for subsequent replacement.

“As a patron I cannot sit on the fence and watch my beloved club thrown into confusion, he said.

He tasked management to go back to history and check the facts since there were few players who had excelled both as players for Kotoko and the national teams who had gone fartherwell to serve successfully as the team's coaches in the past.

He mentioned names such as Sunday Ibrahim, Osei Kofi, Malik Jabir and Abdul Razak as examples of men who had given body and soul as players and coaches, and advised that this was not the time to rock the boat.

“I believe in the need to look inward by encouraging our tried and tested former players who have turned coaches,” the statement added. Source: Daily Graphic - Daily Graphic