Kotoko Best XI of the decade

Former Asante Kotoko influential players Yusif Alhassan Chibsah and Emmanuel Osei Kuffour are conspicuously missing in action in the Best XI players for Kumasi Asante Kotoko after the results of a survey conducted by GHANAsoccernet.com were released.

Both midfielders failed to beat competition from Micheal Akuffo, Daniel Nii Adjei, Stephen Oduro and Charles Taylor to appear in the best eleven-player for Kumasi Asante Kotoko over the last ten years.

Chibsah who was once a captain of the Reds appeared 11 times representing a percentage rate of 22 while Emmanuel Osei Kufour appeared 6 times representing 12%.

The Simple Observational Survey did not use any criterion to select which players should be in the list but a list of fifty sports journalists, majority of whom are based in Kumasi were given the opportunity to name their best eleven players over the period.

The players whose names appeared frequently in the list were simply picked as the best of the club over the last ten years.

In all, a total of 42 players were selected by the astute and experienced sports journalists; three goalkeepers, 20 defenders, 13 midfielders and 6 strikers.

Two of the players, Gordwin Ablordey and Prince Amoako were disqualified because they were not with Asante Kotoko during the period under examination; 2005-2015.

The study realized that some players did not appear at all, and the reason was ascribed to whether their contribution for the club during the period under consideration was negligible or they were unpopular during their days.

Soulama Abdoulaye whose name appeared more than any other goalkeeper picked the first spot with George Owu and Isaac Amoako settling for the third and fourth positions respectively.

Soulama Abdoulaye appeared 32 times in the list submitted by the 50 journalists representing 64% of the total votes while George Owu and Isaac Amoako appeared 12 times and 6 times respectively representing 24% and 12%respectively.

Samuel Inkoom beat competition from Aziz Ansah as the best right back of the century for Kotoko after appearing 32 times as against Aziz Ansah’s 12, representing 64% and 24% respectively. Other right backs who were named included Yaw Frimpong, Prince Anokye and Micheal Ofosu Appiah (CID).

The left back position was keenly contested for by Harrison Afful and Godfred Yeboah (TV3) but Afful scooped the role from the former instrumental left back Godfred Yeboah with a total of sixteen votes.

Harrison Afful appeared 32 times in the list while Godfred Yeboah appeared 16 times representing 64% and 32% respectively. Osei Kwame Junior came third with two votes demonstrating an appearance rate of just 4%.

The center-back position was coolly taken away by Issah Ahmed who appeared 18 times in the list representing 36% while Joseph Hendricks, Rashid Sumaila and Awal Mohammed all appeared 10 times representing 20% each. Joseph Hendrick was then chosen ahead of the other two because of the length of time he spent with the Kotoko team.

In midfield, Micheal Akuffo and Daniel Nii Adjei appeared the same number of times, 24 each, making an appearance rate of 48% while Stephen Oduro and Charles Taylor appeared 32 and 20 times respectively. Oduro, known as ‘Babao’ by his fellow players made an appearance rate of 64% while Taylor made a rate of 40%.

The attack was led by two deadly strikers who were once goal kings in the Ghnanaian top flight. Eric Bekoe picked the highest number of appearances followed by Ahmed Toure.

Bekoe appeared 32 times with a rate of 64% while Ahmed Toure appeared 25 times with a rate of 50%.