Afcon Qualifier: Yahaya Wishes Black Stars Local Components Well

Aduana stars maverick striker, Yahaya Mohammed has wished the local players who have been called-up into the Black Stars, best of luck.

Yahaya, who tops the goal king chart in the ongoing Ghana Premier League, is one of many players that have been earmarked as a possible local player to be invited into the national team after his stellar performance in the current season.

However, the technical handlers of the team have instead, invited Asante Kotoko striker, Dauda Mohammed and in-form Bechem United lanky striker, Abednego Tetteh to augment the team after Ebenezer Assifuah’s withdrawal due to injury ahead of the Gabon 2017 AFCON qualifier against the Amavubi of Rwanda.

Yahaya Mohammed exclusively told Happy FM that; “I’m excited and amazed that four players have been called-up to represent the senior national team. It tells you that this season’s league is very competitive and, if I work hard and concentrate on my game, I’ll also get that opportunity in future.”

He continued; “I pray that they perform and become significant in the team because only this will open many opportunities to other local players in future. I wish them good luck and hope they excel when given the chance to play. So long as you’re a Ghanaian, if you are given the chance to represent the country you should be able to play and perform.”

The Black Stars have already booked their ticket to the Gabon 2017 AFCON and therefore, the match against the Amavubi of Rwanda on Saturday at the Accra Sports Stadium will be mere formality.

Afcon Qualifier: Yahaya Wishes Black Stars Local Components Well

Top 10 David Duncan Quotes As Kotoko Coach

After 380 days at the helm of affairs as technical head of Kumasi Asante Kotoko, David Duncan has been shown the exit door.

The Porcupine Warriors says the recent results of the club and the position they currently occupy is ‘unprecedented’, and have asked Coach Duncan to step aside.

In David Duncan’s one-year, two weeks at the head of the club, the former AshGold boss made some interesting comments.

Below are the top ten David Duncan quotes.

1. When the management of Kotoko unveiled him as Didi Dramani’s successor, elated David first words were impressive.

He said: “In all my coaching life; I have served at my father’s hometown, that’s in the Fanti area. My father is a Fanti. I’ve served where I was raised – where I’ve spent virtually all the days of my life; that’s Accra. I’ve served all the two glamorous, traditional or well-known clubs – Olympics and Hearts.

“It would’ve been very criminal not to have served where my mother comes from.”

2. David Duncan has not won a ‘major’ trophy in his coaching career. The media have never lost the opportunity to remind him that he is a ‘failure’ in major competitions.

But to David Duncan, the SWAG Cup and other invitationals are major and his inability to win the League title nor FA Cup despite coming very close does not interrupt his slumber. But you and I know that those titles don’t really count. He was unable to lead Kotoko to the title defence of the league and the FA Cup where he lost 2-1 in the final to Medeama SC. For Duncan, the drought does not really bother him.

“I lose no sleep when people talk about the fact that I haven’t won the league. If you go back into your archives or annals and find the types of cups I have won, [they are] the type of cups that no quarter is asked for and no quarter is given.”

3. David Duncan jubilated down the touchline after Dauda Mohammed hammered in his side’s 3rd goal against Bechem United at Baba Yara Sports Stadium.

It was the first time Duncan got so emotional in that manner. But at the post match meet the press, he was a different person.

When quizzed why he jubilated down the touchline, Duncan replied that it was “spontaneous”.

4. When the media were frustrated in the manner he answered the questions, he blurted out:

“If I talk you [media] people will say I’m talking too much and I have decided to answer your questions in brief you are still complaining that I’m not talking, so what do you want me to do now; I demand some respect from you.”

5. David hit back at journalists when Kotoko were dropped to the relegation zone.

“That’s all you do, you sit down and analyze me without knowing what I am about, so I have decided to leave the analyses to you whilst I continue to do my work.”

6. David war of words with the media seemed to be an unending. Staying:

“If I respect you as a journalist and you do something that I think you didn’t get right that is when I try to discuss with you because for some of you who perhaps do not know my background I have a little bit of journalistic background, not a trained journalistic background but it was like we just performed it without knowing.

7. He also insinuated that no matter how good journalists are, they can never  be coaches.

“I respect journalists but I know we have had quite a number of people not doing things right but I won’t fault them because maybe they choose to do it that way as their style.

8. “If you sit in a studio and you haven’t coached or played football before and you tell me Akowuah should have been here, oh you have said it –no problem but that is why I always say in football you never argue –that is why as long as I remain as a coach I will never go and sit on a radio or TV station as a pundit.

9. “It is as cheap as that but as I always say a log can be in a pool for hundred years with crocodiles but it can never be a crocodile, you can talk about football but you can never sit in the technical area as a coach.”

10. After his final game as head coach against Aduana Stars, David Duncan claim the output of his players was the best he has seen since taking over the job.

“The performance of the boys was great and fantastic. I haven’t seen anything like this before from the Kotoko players ever since I took over the job,”.

Top 10 David Duncan Quotes As Kotoko Coach

GPL Report: Kotoko Suffer 3rd League Defeat In Dormaa

Aduana Stars dominance over Kumasi Asante Kotoko at the Agyemang Badu Park continued, when the Dormaa-based club, handed the Porcupine Warriors their third league defeat in six matches this year.

Former Porcupine Warrior, Yahaya Mohammed haunted his ex-employers, all afternoon and struck home the only goal of the game.

Head coach David Duncan continue to struggle on his best team. The former Great Olympics boss made six changes to his line up that face Sekondi Hasaacas on Match Week Five of the season.

Obed Owusu returned to the set up, replacing Dauda Mohammed in attack, Tuffour Frimpong sat in front of the back four at the expense of Theophilous Nyame who had a knock in their MTN FA Cup round of 64 victory over A.K Shion.

A jinx awaited the Porcupine Warriors at the Agyemang Badu Park — they’ve failed to score in their previous six meetings in Dormaa, and they began with the hope of breaking it and earning themselves another winning bonus for the second time this season.

However, the early exchanges were beautifully done by Aduana Stars, they were very comfortable in the early minutes. Asante Kotoko held their nerves and settled in the game and took control.

However, Kotoko failed to make their dominance count and Aduana Stars almost punished them through Yahaya Mohammed. A combination of two former Porcupine Warriors — Richard Mpong and Yahaya Mohammed resulted in the latter hitting powerful shot, but Ernest Sowah was up to the task, parrying the ball to safety.

The pendulum swung in favour of Kotoko again who should have taken the lead through Bennett Ofori, but Stephen Adams was too good to be beaten.

The second half was an even game, but Aduana Stars went ahead through Yahaya Mohammed after 10 minutes. Richard Mpong floated the ball from the left flank, but Evans Quao’s clearance fell the way of Yahaya Mohammed and he made no mistake beaten Eric Ofori Antwi who came in for Ernest Sowah for the second department of the game.

Kotoko huffed and puffed to draw parity, but Aduana Stars held on to extend their unbeaten against Kotoko at home to seven matches since making their top flight debut in 2009/10 season, sinking them to the bottom of the league table

GPL Report: Kotoko Suffer 3rd League Defeat In Dormaa