"Hunger For First Team Place Is Secret To Kotoko"s OffseasonTriumphs"- Michael Osei

Assistant coach of Asante Kotoko has revealed that the team’s triumphs in the offseason is due to the hunger of the playing body to cement their first team positions ahead of the new league season.

Kotoko has so far won three trophies in the offseason. They beat League champions Ashantigold to lift the SWAG Cup, then went on to beat the 1982 Black Stars in a commemorative match played at the Accra sports stadium.

Again, they defeated Serbian side, FK Jagodina to win the Club’s 80th-Anniversary match to lift the giant trophy as stake. The icing on the cake was their winning of the G-6 Invitational Tournament played at the Essipong stadium from the 7th-10th January 2016.

“I am not surprised with the performance of the players. Everyone is fighting for a place in the first team and want to cement it before the league starts.”

“If you look at our matches, we have been rotating the team because we are still looking to get a formidable squad, but happily for us, the players are making our work difficult because they are all playing well, and that excites me as a coach”, Michael Osei told footballcrusader.com.

“As we all saw in the G-6 no matter which player we put in a game, everyone plays well and that is something positive we are going to build on”, he added.

"Hunger For First Team Place Is Secret To Kotoko"s OffseasonTriumphs"- Michael Osei

GFA Will Sanction Kotoko If ... GFA Veep

We Will Review The Kotoko – Jagodina Report Then … GFA

Kotoko thrash FK Jagodina 5 – goals to nil on Sunday and yes! it is no news, but same cannot be said of the brouhaha surrounding Jagodina’s preparations and arrival to Ghana without football kits, just 11 reserved players and had to select a few players from clubs here in Ghana notably Techiman FC players to make up the numbers for the game.

 

 

Kotoko settled on the Serbian side after efforts to bring down Belgian side Petrolul and FC Veria from Greece failed. the latter club had commitment as reason why they could not fulfill the invitation.

Kumasi Asante Kotoko thurned 80 years in 2015 after the club had been established in September, 1935 and in accordance with the celebration had arranged for a commemorative match but no opponent had been agreed on.

 

 

Ghana football association vice president, George Afriyie, said,”the referee and match commissioner will present their respective match reports to the FA after 48 hours as stipulated in the FA rules. The findings in the report will determine if Kotoko erred in-accordance to either GFA, CAF or FIFA rules then the right sanction will be applied.

 

The GFA Vice president who also acts as Black stars chairman added, we don’t act according to what the media reports or speculate”

GFA Will Sanction Kotoko If ... GFA Veep

Verdict: Kotoko Should Not Have Played Jagodina

Evidence For Kotoko To Call Off Jagodina Game Were ‘Clear’

Kumasi Asante Kotoko’s 80th anniversary game against Jagodina has already been honoured but the commentaries on the match, it’s organisation and the Serbians abysmal preparations towards the match still hovers around.

 

Former deputy Youth and Sports minister O.B. Amoah, Some Football pundits and fans of Kotoko have called on the Ghana football Association to investigate and possibly sanction the organisers (Pacific Football Limited) of the game for poor organisation and preparation of Kotoko’s 80th anniversary game.

Kotoko PR team member, Jerome Otchere

Kotoko’s opponent, arrived from Serbia with less than 24 hours left on the clock before the match and without first team regular players and football kits. The European club had to name some players from clubs here in Ghana on their bench just to make up the numbers.

Not surprising with such poor preparations and late arrival, Kotoko thrashed them 5 – goals to nil. Coach Vladica Milanovic in his post match interview in a disguised manner might have conceded they should not have played the game stating, “we got here late and were very tired. Stress got the best part of us and that cost us to lose heavily to Kotoko”.

 

In a radio interview with Asempa fm, seasoned journalist with Kotoko’s official mouthpiece, Kotoko Express,  said, “to organise an anniversary game and end in a disaster is a worst decision than not organising at all.

He continued, “the situation and system Kotoko found themselves in contributed to the poor organiisation of the game and no one (can) on those basis can blame Kotoko.

“If Jagodina travelled from Serbia to Ghana with only 11 players how do you blame Kotoko?”

Verdict: Kotoko Should Not Have Played Jagodina

Ex Sports Minister wants Kotoko punished for selling out "fake" friendly against Jagodina

Former Deputy Sports Minister O.B Amoah wants Asante Kotoko sanctioned for selling out a fictitious games against FK Jagodina on Sunday.

Kotok0o hosted the Serbian club in Kumasi to climax their 80^th anniversary celebration.

The match organized by Pacific Football Ghana Limited was originally to have Kotoko face Greek club Veria FC.

Veria FC were settled on after another European side, Petrolul withdrew from the international friendly.

The match organizers however had to replace Veria with Jagodina days before the game over congested fixtures.

Jagodina however showed up in Kumasi with only 11 players and were forced to employ the services of some local players as substitutes.

Many of the Kotoko fans feel short-changed by the level of organization of the game and the strength of the opposition.

Former Deputy Sports Minister O.B Amoah is now calling on the Ghana FA to investigate and sanction Kotoko for delivering a fake match to the fans.

“In fact, GFA must investigate this matter,” the Member of Parliament for Aburi-Nsawam told Asempa FM.

“It is a serious issue. The fact that GFA has sanctioned the match doesn’t mean you can do anything you like.

“We will be setting a bad precedence when we let this thing stand.”

The match organizer explained travel challenges was the reason behind the arrival of just 11 players in the Jagodina contingent.

Their kits for the games including jerseys and boost, according to the match organizer, was also held up in Turkey where the team had transited.

Organizers thus had to buy new sets of jerseys and boost for the team to play the match at an unknown market in Kumasi rumoured to be in Kejetia.

Ex Sports Minister wants Kotoko punished for selling out "fake" friendly against Jagodina

Kotoko Planned Well For Anniversary Match Against Jagodina

Kotoko Had Planned In Advance For Commemorative Match

Kotoko thrashed FK Jagodina of Serbia by 5-goals to nil on Sunday, but the scoreline and performance has not given Kotoko the publicity it deserves all because the Serbian club is believed to have come along with reserved players.

 

 

The Kumasi based side had settled on FK Jagodina after FC Veria of Greece pulled out due to commitment in the Greek Super lig.

The Serbian team arrived in Ghana on Saturday 2, January with only 11 players who are rumoured as non – first team members barely 24 hours before the clash with Kotoko and their performance on the day picking the ball 5 – times from their net has got many to believe the rumour relating to the players.

kotoko players celebrate against FK Jagodina in the 80th Anniversary match

The 23 times Ghana premier league champions have dominated the media circus since Sunday and have been accused of paying little attention to the organisation of a game to celebrate such a great club’s history.

In a radio interview, Kotoko express writer, Jerome Otchere leaped to the defense of the club stating, “we had planned an anniversary game in advance but had no opponent in mind. The proposal from Pacific football Ghana limited was convincing, hence managements decision to hand over all arrangement relating to match to them (organisers).

 

“Kotoko should not be blamed and I disagree with people claiming the club should have been much involved in the organisation and preparation towards the game. Partially I think Kotoko might have done a bit better in preparations towards the game but wholly I disagree Kotoko should take all the blame, he added.

Kotoko Planned Well For Anniversary Match Against Jagodina

"We Need To Build On Winning Momentum"- Edwin Frimpong

Asante Kotoko’s Edwin Frimpong has charged his colleagues to build on Sunday’s 5-0 against FK Jagodina adding that it will help them in subsequent matches.

Between November 2015 to January 3rd 2016, the ‘Porcupine Warriors’ have lifted three different trophies in three seperate off season competitions.

They beat Ashantigold to win the SWAG Cup, beat the 1982 African Cup winning Black Stars and topped it up with another good win over FK Jagodina last Sunday.

With three offseason trophies in the bag, Edwin Frimpong says they can’y afford to bring down the hopes of the fans who are in high spirits.

“We need to keep the momentum and continue winning our games to make the fans happy. The team is so far doing well and since I came, we have won three trophies and it is a good thing for the fans to enjoy”

“Later in the week, we will be participating in the G-6 tournament and hopefully, we need to make sure we give avery good account of ourselves in that competition.

"We Need To Build On Winning Momentum"- Edwin Frimpong

Coach David Duncan Draws Positives From FK Jagodina Match

Head coach of Asante Kotoko David Duncan is quite content with the output of his team in their 5-0 win over FK Jagodina on Sunday.

The ‘Porcupine Warriors’ cut the Serbian side to size at the Baba Yara stadium in their 80th-anniversary commemorative match.

Despite not having their full squad, FK Jagodina gave were a good enough opposition for Kotoko, according to their head coach David Duncan.

“This is not the opposition we expected to have. We were anticipating a very fierce battle against FK Jagodina, but in all I would say I am content with the performance of my team in the game”, Coach Duncan mentioned.

“This was an international friendly but we took it seriously and the fans are happy that we won the first trophy of the year and that is a good motivation for the team and the players.”

“We scored three goals in the first half and in the second found it very difficult to score because they ‘parked the bus’ but at the end of the day got two more.”

Coach David Duncan Draws Positives From FK Jagodina Match

We Lost To Kotoko Because "We were Tire" - FK Jagodina Coach

Exhaustion Cost Us Against Kotoko – Milanovic

Kumasi Asante Kotoko hosted Serbian side FK Jagodina in an international friendly match at the Baba Yara sports stadium to celebrate the Kumasi based club’s 80th anniversary.

 

The Serbian side arrived in the country around 10:30pm on Saturday with only eleven players for the encounter had little time to regain lost energy and be fit enough to face Kotoko. The team looked shell shocked with just a handful of first team players travelling to Ghana with only 13 players.

FK Jagodina team receive medals 

Coach Vladica Milanovic pointed to fatigue as the main reason for his side’s embarrassing defeat, “My players did not get enough rest for this game. We took four different flights to arrive in Ghana so the players were tired and we didn’t have any time to rest.”

 

The European side has departed Ghana for their native Serbia to continue play in the Serbian super liga against Borac Čačak.

We Lost To Kotoko Because "We were Tire" - FK Jagodina Coach

Jagodina coach Vladica Milanovic blames fatigue for heavy defeat to Kotoko

FK Jagodina coach Vladica Milanovic has blamed his side’s heavy defeat to Asante Kotoko to fatigue as his team arrived in Ghana a few hours to the international friendly.

The Serbian club were announced as opponents for Kotoko’s 80^th anniversary match a few days to the event after failed attempts to have Greek club Veria FC make the trip to Ghana.

FK Jagodina had very little rest before the game especially after transiting four times before arriving in Accra late Saturday.

This, their coach, Vladica Milanovic, claims was the reason for the heavy 5-0 defeat suffered on Sunday in Kumasi.

“My players did not get enough rest for this game,” he said.

“We took four different flights to arrive in Ghana so the players were tired and we didn’t have any time to rest.”

The friendly put together by Pacific Football Ghana Limited had suffered several setbacks with scheduled opponents pulling out over varied reasons.

Jagodina coach Vladica Milanovic blames fatigue for heavy defeat to Kotoko

REVEALED: FK Jagodina arrived in Ghana with just 11 players for international friendly against Kotoko

FK Jagodina were forced to use Ghanaian players to make up the numbers for their international friendly against Asante Kotoko on Sunday.

The Serbian club had arrived in Accra hours before taking on Kotoko to climax activities marking their 80^th anniversary on Sunday.

The Jagodina traveling party was however made up of just 11 players – meaning they had to resort to the use of some local players to be able to make up the numbers for the match.

Only five players from the club’s first team made the trip to Ghana with their goalkeeper, Miroslav Stancnkovic, recalled from a loan stint just in order to make the trip.

Their poor preparation for the game told as they got battered 5-0 by the dethroned Ghanaian champions at the Baba Yara Stadium.

Coach Vladica Milanovic was left no choice to resort to the use of some local players notable amongst them being one player from newly promoted Ghana Premier League club Techiman City FC.

This feature highlights the massive flaws in the organization of the international friendly.

Pacific Football Ghana Limited – organizers of the game – struggled to find a worthy European side to fly down to Ghana to honour the match.

They were forced to constantly changing opponents from Atletico Madrid, Seville, Petrolul, Veria FC and finally to FK Jagodina.

REVEALED: FK Jagodina arrived in Ghana with just 11 players for international friendly against Kotoko

Kotoko thump FK Jagodina 5-0 to climax 80th anniversary

Asante Kotoko run riot as they thrashed Serbian club FK Jagodina 5-0 on Sunday to climax their 80^th anniversary.

Spotting their new kits from Mafro Sport, the Porcupine Warriors wasted no time in getting the riot underway with new signing Theophilus Nyame opening the scoring after just 13 minutes.

Captain Stephen Amos then doubled the lead four minutes later to confirm Kotoko’s early dominance.

Eric Donkor then unleashed a 25-yard shot at the half hour mark to make it 3-0 before recess.

Kotoko picked up from where they left off in the second half to score the 4^th goal in the 56^th minute through Eric Donkor who completed his brace.

Dauda Mohammed then completed the demolishing exercise with the 5^th goal after 60 minutes.

The international friendly organized by Pacific Football Ghana Limited was to climax activities of Asante Kotoko’s 80^th anniversary which was originally scheduled to come off last year.

Organizers struggled to find an available opponent until finally settling on FK Jagodina.

Kotoko thump FK Jagodina 5-0 to climax 80th anniversary

Photos: Asante Kotoko Seal $150,000 Three-Year Kit Sponsorship Deal With Mafro Sport

Asante Kotoko has announced a three-year deal with kit manufacturers Mafro Sport at a colourful ceremony held in Kumasi on Saturday afternoon.

The three-year deal is worth $150,000 will see Kotoko players and technical team professionally sponsored by Mafro Sport for the next three years.

The jerseys come in two forms, one for home games and the other for away games.

Typical of Kotoko’s colours, the home jersey is all red with white linings at the edge of both the shirt and shorts.

The away jersey is however, different, but also signifies the colour of the emblem of the Club, yellow and black. The shirt is yellow with black linings at the edge and collar, whilst the pant is pure black with yellow trimmings at the edge of it.

Apart from the kits that Kotoko will receive for the next three years, Mafro Sport will also be making an annual payment of $50,000 to the club.

The playing body will don the new Macro branded jerseys come Sunday at the Baba Yara stadium when the team play as host to Serbian side FK Jagodina in the Club’s 80th-anniversary commemoration match.

Present at the ceremony was captain of the team, Amos Frimpong and Ohene Brenya. Others included the CEO of Kotoko Samuel Opoku Nti and the Club’s Accra Rep. Edmund Ackah.

Below are some samples of the jerseys Asante Kotoko will be donning in the coming season.

Kotoko captains Ohene Brenya and Amos Frimpong were present at the ceremony to model the new kits.

CEO of Kotoko Opoku Nti and an official of Mafro Sports presenting the home jersey to all present at the ceremony.

Sample of the Asante Kotoko new away jersey

Sample of the Asante Kotoko new home jersey

Photos: Asante Kotoko Seal $150,000 Three-Year Kit Sponsorship Deal With Mafro Sport

Asante Kotoko"s Opponents FK Jagodina To Arrive In Ghana On Saturday

Organisers of Asante Kotoko’s the 80th-anniversary Cup Match have told the Club’s official website that, FK Jagodina will arrive in Ghana on Saturday, January 2, 2016.

Initially, the FK Jagodina team were originally scheduled to arrive in Ghana today Friday 1st January 2016, but opted for Saturday, a day before the match.

“They are coming on Saturday. I can confirm that” the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Pacific Football Ghana Limited, Eric Oppong-Yeboah said in an interview on New Year’s Eve.

The official website of Jagodina FK, www.fkjagodina.org.rs in confirmation of their visit wrote:

“Jagodina [will be in the city of Kumasi] for the first time in its history to play an international friendly match on the African continent… Specifically, Jagodina will be the guests at the celebration of the 80th birthday of the famous football club from Ghana”.

The game comes off at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium. Kickoff is at 5:30pm.

Pacific Football Ghana Limited have for months now been working hard to get the friendly international game played and are leaving nothing to chance to ensure that the match, which has seen several postponements since September 2015 is eventually honoured.

Asante Kotoko"s Opponents FK Jagodina To Arrive In Ghana On Saturday

FK Jagodina Advance Team Leave For Accra

A five-member advance team of Serbian club, FK Jagodina has left Belgrade to Istanbul enroute to Accra this evening.

The entire Jagodina team will however come on Saturday, Asantekotokosc.com understands.

They are coming as Kotoko’s opponent in the 80th anniversary cup match.

Eric Oppong-Yeboah, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Pacific Football Ghana Limited who are organizing the game said in an interview that, the advance team will touch down at the Kotoka International Airport on board a Turkish Airline at 7:20pm.

“The advance party has already left Belgrade for Istanbul, Turkey heading for Accra” he disclosed.  “They will be in this evening and the contingent itself are expected on Saturday” he added.

The game is on Sunday, January 3 at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium, Kumasi.

Kickoff is 5:30pm.

FK Jagodina Advance Team Leave For Accra

Asante Kotoko"s Opponents Jagodina Arrive In Accra On Friday

Fudbalski Klub Jagodina of Serbia, opponents of Kumasi Asante Kotoko’s 80th-anniversary game, arrive on Friday ahead of Sunday’s game, according to the organisers, Pacific Football Ghana Limited.

The Serbian side became the substitute following the failure of Greece side, Veria FC, to confirm their participation.

The anniversary match which was originally scheduled to come off two months ago has seen several postponements due to circumstances beyond the control of the organisers.

“Fudbalski Klub Jagodina has replaced Veria FC and the game is set for this Sunday because everything has been put in place.”

“ The Serbian side will arrive on Friday ahead of the Sunday’s game,” the CEO of Pacific Football, Eric Oppong-Yeboah, added.

Kotoko will use the game as part of their preparations for next season’s Premier League.

Asante Kotoko"s Opponents Jagodina Arrive In Accra On Friday