The current Board of Asante Kotoko will be replaced when their term of office ends in August this year, according to Sportscrusader.com sources.
The Board of Directors headed by Paul Adu Gyamfi will join Opoku Nti and his management out of the club for a new administration to take over.
According to Sportscrusader.com sources, the Board will be expected to hand over their notes to incoming team which could be ready by close of July.
Kumasi Asante Kotoko has reached an agreement not to extend the services of Samuel Opoku Nti as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the club, Sportscrusader.com can confirm.
The ‘Lord of the green turf’ was given three years contract to lead the management and the club,and his tenure will end on June 30, 2016.
It will be recalled that Sportscrusader.com reported that the future of Kotoko management was in limbo after a torrid start to the 2015-16 Ghana Premier League (GPL) which saw the club dominate headlines for all the wrong reasons.
After the end of the first round, Manhyia considered extending Opoku Nti’s tenure which ends this month, but after a planned meeting with David Duncan to part ways, the Board led by Paul Adu Gyamfi took the decision to replace the legend.
According to Sportscrusader.com sources, the Board gave Nti a letter notifying him of his end of service and that he will not continue.
Sources added that in the said letter, Opoku Nti was told not to engage any entity or individual on behalf of the club, and that he should prepare his handing over notes and present them on July 2.
Osei Kuffour was tipped to replace Opoku Nti prior to the start of the season, but it us unclear if he is still the leading candidate for the job, though sources says ‘he is the ultimate candidate.’
Asante Kotoko wants Nathaniel Asamoah, and, they’ve made their intentions clear about signing their former striker.
Management of the club have met the player and his representatives three times and he is willing to return to the club, but the deal could hit rocks due to financial terms.
The Porcupine Warriors have offered their former employee GH¢ 40,000.00 and will not go above that figure, though they are ready for further negotiations.
However, Nathaniel Asamoah and his management are reluctant to accept the offer on the table. They are holding out for a ‘better’ offer from the record Ghana Premier League (GPL) champions, who according to sources, won’t pay more than what they have placed on the table.
According Sportscrusader.com sources, Kotoko tabled the bid during their third meeting with the player and his representatives, but they’ve since not given Kotoko a reply after attempts to have management of the Porcupine Warriors increase their offer hit the rocks.
Kumasi Asante Kotoko has confirmed the club has cashed a cheque of GH¢ 50,000.00 which was given to management of the club by a staunch fan, Christopher Damenya.
Deputy Operations manager, Ali Maradona in an interview with Kumasi based radio station, Sikka FM, confirmed the story as reported earlier this week by this portal.
Ali Maradona also confirmed that the money has been given to players as promised by Mr Christopher Damenya.
Each player received GH¢ 1,500.00, but Amos Frimpong and Dauda Mohammed will receive their money as soon as they return to camp from national team duty.
The Management of Kumasi Asante Kotoko will fulfill their promise made to the playing body today (Friday), after the team defeated Accra Hearts of Oak in Accra last Monday.
The management, headed by Samuel Opoku Nti, promised each player GH¢1,000, should they beat their bitter rivals.
The team chalked the success requested by the management, beating the Phobians 1-0 at the Ohene Djan Stadium, and the heads are also ready to fulfill their side of the promise.
It is still unclear when the Life Patron, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II will fulfill his.
Christopher Damenya, a staunch fan of the Porcupine Warriors gave the team GH¢ 50,000 on Wednesday, fulfilling his promise made to the team.
Former Kumasi Asante Kotoko coach, Abdul Razak Karim has backed interim boss Michael Osei to lead the team to success.
Michael Osei, served as assistant coach under Masa-ud Didi Dramani and David Duncan respectively, before he was promoted to head the technical bench of the team after a series of poor results under the latter.
The team has won three of their four games under his tutelage, but the latest defeat to New Edubiase United opened up old wounds and the atmosphere surrounding his future as a permanent heir to David Duncan passed through the window.
However, Abdul Razak Karim, who won the Premier League title in the 2003-04 season for the Porcupine Warriors, reckon he has the capabilities to succeed at Kotoko.
“Michael (Osei) is a very good coach. He has worked at New Edubiase United, he also worked with Didi Dramani and David Duncan,” the 1978 Africa Cup of Nations Cup winner told Sportscrusader.com.
“He has acquired a lot of experience under all these coaches and he has also shown that he can be his own man when the management asked him to take over the team.
“And it is not the first time he has done that: he won the FA Cup two years ago and he also won the GHALCA tournament. He just need the support of the people and he will do a good job for the club,” he added.
The Golden Boy as Abdul Razak is affectionately called, says he knows the problem and is ready to offer advise if the hierarchy need ideas.
The playing body and technical team of Kumasi Asante Kotoko have been promised a special package should they beat Accra Hearts of Oak in Monday’s Super Clash in Accra.
Asante Kotoko is ninth on the Premier League log with 11 points with the Phobians in second position with 18.
However, the Porcupine Warriors seem to be on a resurgence after management asked David Duncan to step aside until further notice after a series of poor results.
They won three of their post-Duncan era matches in all competitions, and management have promised the team a special package for a win over their arch rivals.
The playing body have not been told what the package is, but Sportscrusader.com can confirm that the team will earn twice their current winning bonus should they edge out Hearts.
Beleaguered Kumasi Asante Kotoko head coach, David Duncan has given his employers two options to take.
The legal team of the former AshantiGold boss met with the Board Chairman of the Porcupine Warriors over the weekend to table an ultimatum to the club.
According to sportscrusader.com sources, the legal team on behalf of David Duncan, told the Board Chairman to choose between paying their client off or reinstating him by the close of the week.
The Board Chairman, Paul Adu Gyamfi did not give an immediate response. It is believed he said he will hold a meeting with the entire Board and Management of the club to decide the fate of Coach Duncan.
David Duncan was appointed in February last year, and he led the record league champions to finish second behind AshantiGold in last season’s Ghana Premier League.
But he was asked to step aside until further notice after a series of poor results in the 2015/16 Ghana Premier League (GPL).
The Life Patron of Kumasi Asante Kotoko, Asantehene Otumfour Osei Tutu II, will meet the Board and Management of the club, later today.
Th club has come under intense pressure after a poor run of results in this year’s league. Last week, Otumfour paid the team a surprise visit to the training grounds of the team.
A meeting with board and management was scheduled for Saturday, but a key member of the club was not available.
Sports crusader has gathered that Board, Management, three members of the Ashanti Kingdom, David Duncan, Chairman P5, and the Kotoko express, would be at the meeting.
It is believed the overlord king of Ashanti kingdom, would replace some individuals in the management body of the club.
Kumasi Asante Kotoko is ready to battle David Duncan legally after he refused to accept management’s decision to relieve him of his post.
The Management of Asante Kotoko on Sunday asked Coach Duncan to step aside until further notice.
But Coach Duncan in response to the notification, told the club that ‘step aside’ is alien to the contract he signed about a year ago and that he will not accept it.
According to sportscrusader.com sources, the legal team of David Duncan advised him to continue working, but Kotoko on the other hand insist Michael Osei will oversee the technical affairs of the club until further notice.
The legal team of coach David Duncan has given Kotoko three days ultimatum to address their decision or meet them in court.
And Kotoko have told sportscrusader.com that they are ready to face them head on. The Management insist they’ve not sacked Coach Duncan and will not part ways with him.
Their decision is only to ascertain where the problem for the current abysmal results is coming from.
Kumasi Asante Kotoko players are given GHc 5.00 for breakfast on match days, sportscrusader.com can confirm.
The Management of club claims the club is financially handicapped, thus, the decision to give each player a meagre amount of GHc 5.00 for morning duties.
Kumasi Asante Kotoko boast of sponsorship deals with Latex Foam, Everpure Mineral Water, MTN Ghana, Fidelity Bank, SuperBets and Herbal life Nutrition among others.
But management insist the club lack the finances to feed the playing body and the technical team prior to a match.
The Management of Kumasi Asante Kotoko has moved today’s training session to the Baba Yara Sports Stadium.
The team’s training session is always held at the Adako Jachie training grounds, but management moved the training to the Baba Yara Stadium to avoid having Coach Duncan taking the sesssion.
The team will return to the Baba Yara Sports Stadium at 15:00 GMT for a second training session today.
K
Asante Kotoko head coach, David Duncan is at the Adako Jachie training grounds to oversee today’s training session today.
But the playing body is with Michael Osei at the Baba Yara Sports in Kumasi.
Below are images from the Adako Jachie training base where Duncan is seated waiting for his team.
Images credit: Yaw Sanogo, Kiss FM
The Board and Management of Kumasi Asante Kotoko met yesterday to trash out issues of players bonuses.
There were internal wranglings after it emerged that some players earn more bonuses than others.
The issues which according to Communication Director, Kwaku Ahenkorah was a none-issue and the Board and Management met to address the brouhaha.
Some senior members of the playing body met with heads of the club and had a smooth discussion on the issue.
The club will make a public statement soon.
Kumasi Asante Kotoko legend, Joe Carr says the management and technical team of the club are not responsible for the team’s poor performance this year.
The Porcupine Warriors has been abysmal in this year’s Ghana Premier League, and accusing fingers has been pointing at the doors of the management and technical team.
But Joe Carr insist the duty of the management and technical team was to sign the players which they did, so it is up to the players to repay the confidence reposed in them.
“I will never blame the management of the club as well as the technical team. I blame the players for the club’s poor performance,’’ Carr told Kumasi-based radio station, Hello FM.
“The management and the technical team signed the best players, so it is up to the players to perform.
“We have all played for the the team before. During our time we talked to ourselves when we lose a game. The next moment you see us winning, so these players what have they been doing?,” he quizzed with passion.
Kotoko have won only one of their five Ghana Premier League this season, their worst run in 42 years.
The Asante Youth Association (AYA), has called on the life patron of Kumasi Asante Kotoko Otumfour Osei Tutu II to replace the current management of the club.
Asante Kotoko under the leadership of Opoku Nti has lost the impetus that made them unparalleled in the domestic top flight competition according to the body.
The has also failed to perform creditably in continental competitions since winning the CAF Champions League in 1983.
The Association said it recognizes the good work done by the Opoku Nti administration but believes they could have done better.
Below is an email sent to sportscrusader.com by AYA:
PRESS STATEMENT ON WHY ASANTE KOTOKO SC. NEEDS UTILITARIAN CHANGES.
We the members of the afore-mentioned association have followed with keen interest on how our darling football club (Kumasi Asante kotoko SC) is being managed. Before we proceed to our main issue of concern, we would, however, like to seize this opportunity to congratulate the current management of the club led by the General Manager, Opoku Nti, for the good work done all these years, and a well deserved commendation for the successes chalked over time. On that note we say “AYEKOO”.
Recently, Asante Kotoko SC received a glorious honour as the Africa football club of the century as Real Madrid FC for Europe. This to a greater extent means that in terms of pedigree, Asante kotoko and Real Madrid must be on the same pedestal. Unfortunately, Asante Kotoko’s status as a super brand has suffered enough setbacks over the period.
Therefore, in order to attain our status as a SUPER BRAND, we as a club must take up certain pragmatic steps, which can only be achieved through a functional and dynamic manager as the leader of the football club.
Upon critical observation, Asante kotoko should by now be rocking shoulders with the likes of T.P. Mazembe, EL HALI, et al. But what do we see these days, our best players run to these clubs rendering our club redundant. Factually, Kotoko is too big to be managed like a COLTS football team, with all due respect.
It is our earnest prayer therefore that, the owner and Life Patron of the Club, His Royal Majesty, Otumfuor Osei-Tutu II, as we humbly suggest, exact the leadership of the club from the hands of the current management and trust it into the care of an administrator or a team of administrators with professional expertise who can effectively run the club. Leader/ Leaders who can forecast into the bigger future to suit the current footballing administration trend.
Football administration has now become a lucrative venture and it is run from a professional perspective with which Kotoko is of no exception. Kotoko must benefit from such modern developmental trend.There remain a lot of opportunities in Kotoko SC which have been under utilized. Turning the club to meet such developmental trends would bring into fruition the utilization of all untapped advancements.
We are not by any attempt saying the current leadership have not done their part, they have paid their dues, but we still believe they could have done better than what is being observed now. Obviously the club under the watch of this current management has not produced any emotional gratification the supporters desire.
It will be surprising to know that, even a lot of our sponsors have withdrawn their services and this has adversely affected the club and this was not the case previously.
In conclusion, we say if indeed our aim is to win the CAF Champions league trophy again, then we as a club must also be able to sign world class players from top clubs, this can only be done when the club is in the hands of an able business minded persons. We strongly believe we as an association seek for the best for ASANTEMAN and therefore humbly plea that, the wisest King will give us a listening ear as always since our elders say, “the one seeking something for Kotoko must never be sabotaged.”
Long Live the Golden Stool
Long Live Asante Kotoko
Long Live AYA
Long Live us all.
……..SIGNED………
BARIMA TWENEBOA-KODUA (Nat. Secretary)
0247102919
NANA OPPONG (Operations Director)
0246159303
Nana kofi Owusu Stephen(Vice president, AYA)
0275208373
CC:
The chief of staff, Manhyia
Secretary, Manhyia
Regional and National Circles
All media Houses.
With barely two days to the start of the Ghana Premier League, the most glamorous team in the history of Ghanaian football undoubtedly has to be Kumasi Asante Kotoko who are nicknamed Porcupine Warriors.
Asante Kotoko Sporting Club, also known as Asante Kotoko or Ashanti Kotoko, is a professional football club from Kumasi, Ashanti and plays their home games at Kumasi Sports Stadium as they compete in the Ghana Premier League. They have been champions of the Ghana Premier League a record 23 times, and have won the CAF Champions League twice.
The Great Porcupines of Africa was named Africa’s club of the century, according to the International Football Federation of History and Statistics at Hurlingham Club in Fulham on Monday, February 1, 2010. This honor clearly illustrate how great the club is not only in Ghana but on the continent as a whole.
Finishing in second place in the 2014/2015 league season the porcupine warriors will be looking forward to replicate their blistering pre-season form into the new premier league season in order to improve on the previous standing and to win the league if possible,anything less than that will be considered a disappointment by most fans of the great club.
Asante Kotoko had flawless pre-season form having won ninth matches in twelve games since beating Ashanti Gold sporting club for the SWAG Cup at the Baba Yara Stadium on September 29, 2015. Two of the other three games ended in a goalless draw while Kotoko lost the remaining game (1-2) to Libyan side Al Ittihad in an international friendly match, 20 goals in 12 games and conceded seven.
The porcupine warriors would start their season against WAFA at the Sokagope park on Saturday,19 February 2016 at 3 : 00 PM GMT
CURRENT SQUAD
Ernest Sowah, Felix Annan, Ohene Brenya, Attah kusi, Evans Quao, Eric Ofori Antwi, Amos Frimpong, Edwin Frimpong Manso, Richard Osei Agyeman, Ahmed Adams, Stephen Nyarko, Kwadwo Poku, Michael Yeboah, Bennett Ofori, Elvis Amoh,Jackson Owusu, Obed Owusu, Halipha Sedogo,Eric Donkor, Attah, Evans Quao.
PLAYERS TO WATCH OUT FOR
Elvis Amoh, Halipha Sedogo, Micheal Yeboah, Kwadwo Poku
COACH
David Duncan
He is one of the top notch coaches in this country having one the best coach award in 2006 and several premier league honors the head coach will be looking forward so reclaim it tittle back from the defending champions Ashanti Gold SC
ASST. COACH
Micheal Osei
TEAM MANAGER
Adu Poku
GROUNDS
Baba Yara Sports Stadium
