‘We never asked for our salaries’ - Chibsah relives the good old Kotoko days

Former Asante Kotoko midfielder Yusif Chibsah has been recounting his days as a Kotoko player, describing it as the best time of his career.

Chibsah displayed a warrior attitude on the pitch representing the Porcupine Warriors in a very successful spell and at a time when the local league boasted quality players and top level football.

The Prempeh College old boy joined Asante Kotoko in 2003 after a 4 year stint with city rivals King Faisal Babies. Joining Kotoko was the accelerator to a career that was destined for good things.

Now 36 years, the former skipper of Ghana’s Black Meteors has been speaking to FootballMadeinGhana about the good old days.

He narrates an interesting chapter when things were so good that as players they never bothered checking their bank accounts to ascertain whether salaries have been paid.

“They (board) really made us feel at home, we never asked for our salary. Even though at the end of every month, the money goes into our accounts, we never go to check because the promises (monetary) we were getting from the board members…from the fans out there in town was enough for us” he narrated.

Chibsah mentions that these financial pledges were coming in thick and fast as they delivered positive results in the pitch.

During his time at Asante Kotoko, they won 2 league titles, were runners up in the inaugural edition of the 2004 CAF Confederation Cup, and also won other trophies domestically.

He spells out the various members of Kotoko’s top brass who financially rewarded them for their on-pitch successes.

“At every game we will have Dr. Osei Kwame ‘Despite’ deliver his promise, PV Obeng will bring his promise, ‘Kessben’ will bring his promise, Nana Yaw Owusu, Otumfour’s sub-chief will bring his promise, aside that the National Circles Council, I mean they were fantastic. When we go to camp the stuff that they bring to us, provisions, energy drinks…it felt like you went to the supermarket to shop” he concluded.

Chibsah left Asante Kotoko in 2007 for a spell abroad with Swedish side Gefle IF.