Where is the beef to the Africa squad?
by Jerry Afriyie Paemka
A glance through the list of Asante Kotoko's 27-man squad for Africa has revealed that the much talked about beef-up is nowhere to be found. Apart from some three players who intend to re-launch their careers at Kotoko, the rest of the squad comprise almost the same players that have played so far in the league and ensured that, the champions are perched at the top of the log. One could not see the beef that was expected to be added to the strength of the squad.
The Kotoko team as it stands now is good enough to win the league and everything on offer on the domestic front, but if it is Africa we are talking about, then to all intents and purposes, the strength of the team as can be observed, is not too different from the strength of the squad that got kicked out at the early stages of the champions league last season. And frankly this is something that worries some of us gravely.
It is no secret that the team has striking problems, which is the same problem that resulted in JSM Bejaia of Algeria, knocking out the Porcupine Warriors at their own backyard in Kumasi, after a gallant 0-0 first leg result in Algeria. In fact a deep analysis of the Kotoko squad compared to the elite clubs that Kotoko are likely to face in the champions league will clearly show that, the Ghanaian champions lack quality cover in almost all departments of the team except goalkeeping.
Indeed after analyzing and comparing Kotoko's squad to the squads from champions league clubs in Cameroun, Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia, Nigeria, DR. Congo, South Africa and Algeria, there is no point in hiding the fact that, we will struggle to beat any of the clubs coming from these countries. It must also be said that, Kotoko is at the moment at par or better than some of the clubs from Sudan, Mali, Angola, Zambia etc., and could go through without hustle if we draw them in the preliminary stages.
However if the target is to make it to the group stage, then we are definitely going to meet some elite clubs at the round of 32 teams or the 1/16 stage. That is why I am worried that our squad is still behind the top clubs on the Africa continent. It is true that there is no logic in football but it is also equally true that, the hallmark of any successful team is the quality of players that comprise the team.
This brings me to the issue of how players get in and out of Kotoko sometimes under strange circumstances. Most Kotoko supporters are shocked at Michael Helegbe's sudden departure to Medeama, but that has been explained and I will leave it like that. My problem however is how we let go young potential players and in their place bring in footballers who are of lesser quality than those that have departed.
For example we have youngsters like Kojo Poku and Augustine Okrah flirting with clubs like Heart of Lions and Bechem United and in their place we have the likes of Aminu Mohammed, Larbi Koomson and Osman Bashiru all of whom I have nothing against.
From my perspective, the likes of Kojo Poku and Okrah deserve to be in Kotoko than those that have replaced them. I also believe that Kotoko is now at a stage that the club should consider employing the services of a football director, to come and sanitize the club's transfers.
This is for the simple reason that if we cannot get what we really need, then at least we should hold onto the best that we have and avoid the situation whereby people just dump all kinds of players on the club at a huge cost and also lose some valuables without getting anything in return.
Kotoko have done some very bad business in the past, which should not have happened at all. For example, talented Francis Coffie left the club under questionable circumstances to put it mildly, Baba Armando also helped himself to huge amount of cash and walked out, Baffour Gyan came to try his luck at Kotoko and many other examples of bad business which should not be allowed to happen again.
The Premier League continues this weekend with Kotoko playing away to Ebusua Dwarfs in Cape-Coast. It is the week 15 fixture to end the first round of the league. Kotoko are six points ahead of second placed Hearts and expectation is that, the champions will end the first round by at least maintaining their six points lead, if not extending it.
Dwarfs historically have been a difficult side to beat by the Porcupines and therefore despite the poor form of the Cape-Coast side, Kotoko will still have to be at their best at the Robert Mensah Stadium on Sunday. So far so good for Coach Didi Dramani's boys and God willing it will be another fabulous day in the Central Regional capital.