Yaw Preko hints at returning to local league

Former Black Starlets, Meteors, and Black Stars winger, Yaw Preko has hinted he could be returning to the local league before he hangs he boots.

The former national player, who was speaking on Asempa Sports, did not reveal how many more years he had in him as a player, but was emphatic that the OneTouch Premier League will be his swansong.

Preko praised the Ghana Football Association and the Professional League Board for the excellent infrastructure put in place for the OneTouch Premier League. He commented that the present state of the pitches is far better than what pertained in the 1990s adding that this has improved the standard of play.

The 1991 under-17 World Cup winner, who also represented Ghana during the 1992 African Nations Cup, recalled that before the final against the Ivory Coast, the then Youth and Sports Secretary, Gen. Arnold Quainoo promised each player a LOTTO KIOSK, should they win the cup. Preko remarked that the team was not as motivated as the Ivorian players who had each been promised a house. He however acknowledged that the current Black Stars team are well motivated which has led to their recent successes.

On the hiring of a coach for the Black Stars, he said there are local trainers who are capable of handling the national team; like Coach Sam Arday, Jones Attoquayefio, and E.K. Afranie.
Yaw Preko is also a bronze medallist with the under-23 team that represented Ghana at the Barcelona 1992 Olympic Games, and won silver in Senegal the same year with the National team at the Cup of Nations. He played in the Nations Cup in South Africa 1996 but, pulled out at the early stages due to a thigh injury.

He played alongside Isaac Asare, Odartey Lamptey, Samuel Osei Kuffour and Kwame Ayew at the junior level. Abedi Ayew Pele and Anthony Yeboah were some of his colleagues he played with at the Black Stars.
Preko has had stints in Belgium, Turkey, Sweden, Saudi Arabia and Vietnam but presently has no club.

Credit: Patrick Twumasi, Asempa Sports.