After Emerging Coach Of The Year - Bashir In Dilemma

Newly-crowned Best Coach, Bashir Hayford, is torn between renewing his romance with Kumasi Asante Kotoko or calling it quits as he dedicates his new award to his late wife for being the secret behind his success.

Coach Hayford, aka Bash, has a two-year verbal contract which ends in February 2009, but is currently undecided whether to continue with the club or look elsewhere for fresh challenges due to some differences with the club's management.

When the Graphic Sports sought to know what his next move would be minutes after receiving the PLB honour last Friday, he said: “For now I'm still with Kotoko; I need some time to ponder over it and we will see how things go as the days roll by.”

It was obviously an emotional moment for Bash as he juxtaposed the painful loss of his inspiring wife to the host of awards he led Kotoko to sweep last Friday.

“I thank my wife for being a great support to me. She even went to the extent of predicting this before her death,” he revealed.

“I dedicate this award to her; she saw it coming and kept encouraging me not to give up.”

He, however, described the occasion as a great day to see the club and its players sweep most of the awards on the night.

“It's a great day to see the club sweep many awards tonight. This tells you the kind of work we are doing. It's all hard work and the kind of input we have been making into the team is what is showing,” the Kotoko coach stressed.

Coach Hayford only prayed that the trend would continue like that in the coming season.

Bash, who was queried by the Kotoko management for allegedly going AWOL after the Kotoko-Etoile du Sahel Confederation Cup match in Kumasi, was back on the Kotoko bench when Kotoko lost 0-1 to Liberty Professionals in the Glo Top 4 grand finale at the Baba Yara Stadium last Sunday.

Story by Samuel Ebo Kwaitoo