Stephen Nyarko Targets FA Cup And League Double

Kumasi Asante Kotoko midfield sensation Stephen Nyarko has set his sight in lifting the FA cup and domestic championship at the end of the season.

The inform attacking midfielder powered his inconsistent side to three crucial points away to their traditional rivals Hearts of Oak and but is already looking beyond the 3 points.

The 20 year old talented midfielder remains one of the brightest spot in his side amidst their managerial and administrative instability.

Stephen Nyarko verbally warned domestic rivals to rule out Kotoko from the title race at their own peril as they find that missing peice in their jig saw puzzle.

“It is too early to rule us out of the league trophy after just 10 round of matches. I have no doubt we will bounce back and that is exactly what we are bent on doing”, Nyarko told sportscrusader.com

The former Wa All Stars and Asorkor Deportivo also highlighted his personal desire to lay hands of the coveted FA Cup on his first season with Kotoko.

“We missed out the MTN FA Cup trophy last season but cannot miss out this season. It is collective effort and we are ready to work extra hard for it at the end of the season”, Nyarko added

Stephen Nyarko joined the Red Devils at the start of the season but has since primed in the famous red jersey on his debut season in Kumasi. The 20 year old made his name whiles with Wa All Stars as attacking wide man.

Stephen Nyarko Targets FA Cup And League Double

Match Build Up: Kotoko vs Liberty

Asante Kotoko after suffering a 1-0 loss to Aduana Stars last week, saw management of the club ask David Duncan to step aside as coach until further notice following a series of poor results.

Michael Osei will be the man at the dug out for Sunday’s game against Liberty.

The Porcupine Warriors have lost three, drawn two and won one of their first six games this season,  and the current situation compelled Life Patron of the club, the Asantehene Otumfour Osei Tutu II to pay the team a surprise visit on Tuesday during their training session.

Otumfour urged the team to beat Liberty and promised them a new bus should they win.

KOTOKO TEAM NEWS

Asante Kotoko will rely on Obed Owusu, Dauda Mohammed and Kwame Boateng to lead the attack.

Midfield anchor-man Theophilus Nyame who missed the Warriors defeat against Aduana trained on Wednesday and Thursday, but is unclear whether he will feature.

Eric Donkor could make the team having sat on the bench last weekend. The game comes too early for Felix Annan who was injured in the opening league game against WAFA.

LIBERTY PROFESSIONALS

Liberty Professionals have been phenomenal this season, winning all their home league games, but is yet to record a win away from home.

They’ve lost two and drawn one of their three away matches. Latif Blessing continue to be a blessing for Liberty since making his league debut a couple of seasons ago.

He’s been outstanding for the Dansoman-based club this year, scoring four of their nine goals.

HEAD TO HEAD

Kotoko have a superior record against Liberty Professionals. They have won 19 of their 30 league games, lost 6 and drawn 5 games.

Liberty have won once, drawn two and lost 14 of games to Kotoko away from their home  venue.

However, last season, the scientific soccer lads defeated the Porcupine Warriors 1-0 in a Match-Day 12 encounter in Kumasi.

This is the first time these sides are facing each other in a Match-Day Seven encounter of the GPL.

Match Build Up: Kotoko vs Liberty

Kotoko Denies Tom Strand Report

Managers of Kumasi Asante Kotoko have vehemently denied the story alleging that, they have contacted Medeama’s Swedish coach, Tom Strand as they contemplate a replacement for Coach David Duncan, the club’s current coach.

They say the story has no truth and should be disregarded. Communications Manager, Kwaku Ahenkorah in a reaction to an online story claiming that, Kotoko’s management has spoken to Tom Strand and were in line to employ him, categorically dismissed the allegation as false.

“The management of Kotoko has not held any secret talks with Tom Strand. Neither has management authorized anybody to secretly speak to him on our behalf” said Ahenkorah.

He continued: “Kotoko is contracted to coach David Duncan just as Tom Strand is contracted to Medeama. It is also alien to our scheme of things as a club to be talking to coaches contracted to other clubs more so when we have a contract with another coach”.

The club spokesman therefore urged Kotoko supporters to ignore the report while urging the media to be circumspect about the information they put out on Kotoko.

Kotoko Denies Tom Strand Report

Don"t Compare Our Football Pitches To Europe

Stadium is part of the package offered to football consumers. The field, the facilities, the pomp and pageantry as-well-as the game itself, all combine to give the football fan a satisfying experience.

 

We all know that clubs and their supporters are closely aligned with their stadium, which is the cauldron of powerful memory and community. FIFA is aware of the value a football arena can bring to the game and has set standard that a stadium must be upgraded to before it could host FIFA tournament.

 

Football pitches in Ghana have been deemed ‘not fit’ for the beautiful game as the patchy nature of the grass makes the playing surface uncomfortable for both players to display their talent and for fans to watch matches as the playing surface looks more of either  potato field.

 

The quick development and interest in foreign league keeps gluing Ghanaian football loving fans to the television than visiting league venues during league games but the recent comparison of stadiums like Old Trafford, Camp Nou, Emirates just to name a few to Accra sports stadium, Kumasi sports stadium and the other  league venues has got Emmanuel Dassebre, manager of club licensing board worried.

 

 

He said, “It is a gradual process and we must understand the situation in this country. We have a huge infrastructure gap and this is not peculiar to football but sports as a whole.”

“We must understand this is our environment and must not compare our stadiums to the Europeans as it is just a matter of time before we get to that level,” he added.

 

The club licensing board recently passed the 16-league centres (stadium) as ready to commence the 2015/16 premier league season.

Don"t Compare Our Football Pitches To Europe

Kwaw Kese ‘defies’ Kofi Boakye

 

Rapper, Kwaw Kese re-enacted his last year arrest for alleged smoking of marijuana in Kumasi when he jokingly scorned the Ashanti regional Police Commander, DCOP Kofi Boakye, before a packed arena at the Kumasi Sports Stadium last Sunday morning during the much-publicised Bukom Banku- Ayitey Powers catchweight boxing bout.

In the full glare of the commander, Kwaw Kese said: “Ma hye a, ma hye; w’akye me a, w’akye me, w’agyae me a, w’agyae me,” in apparent reference to his arrest for smoking the marijuana and later release from jail.

On stage, the man also known as Abodam appeared unrepentant as he tried to glorify his act but it all turned out to be a charade just to excite the crowd and popularize music.

Moments later, the artist walked towards the ‘Commander One’ in laughter, knelt before him and hugged him.

It was indeed an emotional re-union after DCOP Kofi Boakye superintended his arrest last year and ensured that he faced the full rigours of the law.

But Kwaw Kese, after learning his lessons the hard way, had adopted the Police Commander as his mentor.

It was pure fun as the crowd greeted the ‘reunion’ with applause and cheers.

Kwaw Kese was just one of high-profile artistes who thrilled fans on the night of ‘Repeat or Revenge’ boxing extravaganza.

Two other rappers at the function, Sarkodie and Shatta Wale also brought the fans to their feet for more than 30 minutes with their acts which included ‘Hand To Mouth’ and ‘Kakai’ hit songs respectively.

Revelation of the night though was 10-year-old up-and- coming artiste, ‘Mosquito.’ He got almost everyone excited with his unique Fante raps and inventive stagecraft.

Not even the emcee for the night, Nat Attoh of Joy FM  could get the highly-charged  talent to leave the huge stage until D-Black, one of the bout’s sponsors, stepped in with his popular ‘Vera and Seiho’ songs.

Also on the stage was Pope Skinny as well as Efya who thrilled fans with a rendition of the national anthem to usher in the two boxers.

Bukom Banku won the fight with a fifth round technical knockout. He drove away Range Rover as well as received an all-expenses paid trip to South Africa for two, undisclosed amount of money, endorsement deal among others as his prize package. ,

The LandMark Promotion event was graced by a mixture of the country’s leading businessmen and actors. They included the CEO of the Despite Group of Companies, Dr Osei Kwame and the CEO of Joy Industries, Dr Manfred Takyi.

Others were actors John Dumelo, Kwaku Manu, Kwame Djokoto and Koo Fori.

 

Kwaw Kese ‘defies’ Kofi Boakye