Kotoko heading for another rough start next season

When the 2017-2018 Ghana Premier League season commences next year, hopefully with a title sponsor, Kumasi Asante Kotoko will be among the title contenders.

With the team’s long successful history in the competition, why wouldn’t they be tipped for a title before the campaign gets underway. Fans of the Porcupine Warriors are feeling good about themselves following an emphatic 3-1 win over bitter rival Accra Hearts of Oak in the MTN FA Cup Final recently.

Winning by that margin over a tough side against the backdrop of Kotoko’s one goal project in previous rounds in the competition, came as a surprise to many. Beating Hearts on any occasion is a big deal particularly one that qualifies Kotoko to feature in Africa’s Confederations Cup.

Like the Reds of Manchester sneaking its way to play continental football this season by winning the immediate past season’s Europa League, clinching the FA Cup gives Kotoko the keys to contend in the continent’s second tier competition despite finishing fifth in Ghana’s league last season.

A campaign filled with a lot of highs and incredible lows, fans of the Kumasi lads would want to quickly forget tumultuous with their side struggling and capped off by a tragedy that cost the life of a staff member.

Like any well run club, the team has set lofty goals next season. To ensure it gets off to a good start in the new campaign, Kotoko has arranged to camp in Ivory Coast as reports indicate and scheduled for a preseason tour in Germany where expected friendly games will be played against local teams.

However, unlike other clubs, it doesn’t take much to figure out the main rationale behind the planned trip. With a lot of cash needed to honour continental responsibilities next season, selling players for hard foreign currency is a surest way of generating funds.

This could lead to a wholesale of key players needed for the African challenge even before the season starts. Such a situation forces management to dive back into the market for players to fill vacant spots for the G8 Tournament and league as soon as possible. A roller coaster situation like this doesn’t inspire confidence in Kotoko’s aim for a group stage appearance in the Confederations Cup.

Bechem United’s adventure in Africa was quickly extinguished after adopting a similar strategy and is a cautionary tale for Ghana’s record league winners to look out for. Beating Hearts emphatically was a great way to end the season but one of the major reasons behind Kotoko’s poor 2016-2017 campaign is likely to be repeated.

After ending the year with a title, Coach Steve Polack has agreed to a contract extension to stay on for the upcoming season. Keeping Polack is good, maintaining a steady back room is better and another year under Dr. Kwame Kyei for continuity sake is excellent.

However, the low point of Polack’s extension is the uncertain premise it was awarded; without the Hearts win, the Porcupine Warriors were sure to be hunting for a new Coach now. Rumors were rife of Polack’s imminent departure from the club following a string of unimpressive results characterized by a lack of goals.

However, that narrative changed following the big win in Tamale and the British trainer has since been handed a new deal. The sudden change of heart from Kotoko’s hierarchy shows there is little trust in the former King Faisal and Berekum Chelsea trainer.

As such, club faithful should expect another dose of uncertain decision making when results go wrong just like the opening rounds of the past season under Zdravko Logarusic. Once results went awry, the Croat was sacked and Godwin Ablordey and Frimpong Manso got tossed in the hot seat.

With chaos all over, Kotoko tumbled to the lower ranks of the standings until calm was restored under Polack temporarily.

Due to the apparent plan to sell as many players as possible to fund its time in Africa, Polack is sure to have a hard time finding the right system for what is likely to be an unstable team with a revolving door of players.

Remember how Kotoko’s talented bunch was reduced to average performers following Logarusic’s dismissal as players transitioned from the former Ashanti Gold trainer’s heavy defensive setup to Frimpong Manso’s attack oriented system.

With a distinct level of uneasiness on the horizon for the technical body nad management, Kotoko fans should brace up for another whirlwind start to the new season.