Kotoko Gurus Convene Today

ASANTE KOTOKO is expected to hold a board meeting, in Kumasi, today. The purpose of the meeting, among other in-house matters, is to seek fruitful solutions for the betterment of the club.

However, the scrutiny of a substantive chief executive for Kotoko, may arise, as well, since the board is bent on making the best choice for the club. The board has decided to sign up a dedicated and business-like Kotoko member, for the enviable CEO post, presently being battled for by Messrs George Amoako, Slyvester Asare Owusu, Kojo Bonsu, and Jerry Asare, as well. In the interim, the club?s current interim management team (IMT), has been given the nod to recruit quality players for next season.

The IMT has pencilled down about 14 players, to be recruited to beef up the Kotoko squad, while nine old guards have been transfer-listed, and 2 others loaned to other clubs.

Additionally, the head coach of Kotoko, Emmanuel Kwasi Afranie, has vouched for the coach of the club?s Under-20, Kalilu Dramani, as his assistant coach. Kalilu, a polite and calm personality, has had a long spell with the club, having captained Kotoko, under the headship of Coach Afranie, in 1995. Just after quitting active soccer, he resolved to contribute his quota towards the welfare of Kotoko, at a time when Coach Afranie?s post at Kotoko, had been taken over by a successor.

In another development, the much-publicised Otumfuo West African invitational tournament has been re-scheduled.

The tournament, initially set to tee off, on November 30, would now kick-start, on December 11.

The postponement was necessitated, after Nigeria?s Enyimba FC, had requested a new date for the commencement of the championship, so that, the club could honour a league match in Nigeria.

The championship, originally, had participati ng clubs as Ashantigold, Hearts of Oak, King Faisal Babies, Kotoko, Enyimba FC, as well as Asec Mimosas. However, the Phobians pulled out, citing their up-coming Congress, as a stumbling block, a situation which forced the tourney organisers to replace Hearts with Asfa Yenega of Burkina Faso.

Perhaps, the postponement of the championship would enable the Phobians re-join the pack, since their prestigious Congress comes off, on Saturday, November 26.