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Jerome Otchere Writes: The Ogum confusion and more

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I make concessions. I’m not shy to do that. On hindsight, my tweets right after news of Asante Kotoko coach, Prosper Narteh Ogum’s purported resignation was ill-timed. Fans were shocked and upset. They needed something soothing, something reassuring, not opinions projecting the undercurrents leading to the confusion. I’m very sorry. 

This is the admittance I make to those pointing to me that, I could’ve been circumspect. Ill-mannered folks bent on denigrating me must be ignored. Criticisms that, I didn’t have to provoke supporters just when the coach’s so-called exit was announced are fair. 

We should be sober then, discerning minds must calmly watch developments in the club; it wouldn’t be difficult to understand the import of my wrongly-timed tweet, which essentially said, beneath the shine of Nana Yaw Amponsah (NYA)’s undisputed fine Kotoko works, is an unpleasant situation that that needs attention. 

This view I shared, admittedly at a mistaken time, arises out of my resolution to dispassionately look at issues. It’s not NYA hate. We’ve to be open-minded. I’ve applauded NYA publicly on his transformational work, for example, the conscious attempt to place Kotoko on sound financial footing thorough sponsorship. 

He’s repositioning the club on the minds of supporters, through exceptional social media interaction, stellar team performance this season, arduous fan mobilisation for funds and so on. But, certain things beneath these would undermine NYA’s fantastic work. 

We’ve to think to see. We shouldn’t be deceived. Underneath NYA’s glittering work, are matters that have always hurt Kotoko and if not addressed, would hurt more in no time. Disaffection within Board-Management, and the technical team, as seen in Ogum’s case this week have all been there. Is this why some fans think I want NYA to fail? No. 

What happened this week, sounds warning bells for the club’s leadership to act. The Board must be united and firm. In Manhyia Palace’s notice, heralding their appointment, the buck stops with them. In fact, in corporate governance practices, which the Palace insisted on, this week’s developments are unhealthy for progress. 

The tension has been building up to this week. We must douse it properly. Now, whether or not Ogum resigned is immaterial. Whether elements within us rushed to broadcast his departure also doesn’t matter. If the Board’s latest posture amounts to a behindhand public relations step, so be it! Calm is necessary. So are peace and unity. 

Management must know that criticism isn’t hatred. NYA must know that for some of us it’s simply the passion for Kotoko – not the ridiculous hate-agenda being bandied. I’ve no time for that. I may hold views which could be wrong but it’s not hate. My heart has productive things to consume in these depressive times of the world. 

To me, Ogum’s return seems unrealistic. The under-tides that birthed this week’s confusion and how we handled it, calls for deeper assessment and forward-looking decisions, not schemes to make Ogum, Management or the Board look nice. It’s Kotoko that must be made to look good all the time. 

We should’ve been planning by now; the Africa campaign, GPL title defence and so on. But, here we’ve a self-inflicted pain, resulting from bottled matters but which must now be confronted and addressed behind the outside niceties. Firm, united leadership is needed now to deal with the things that matter to spare fans more anguish.

Source: Jeromeotchere.com

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AFCON 2023 Qualifiers: Jojo Wollacott suffers injury during Black Stars training ahead of Angola clash

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AFCON 2023 Qualifiers: Jojo Wollacott suffers injury during Black Stars training ahead of Angola clash

On Tuesday evening, Ghana goalkeeper Jojo Wollacott suffered a new injury during a Black Stars training session in Kumasi.

Wollacott was injured during training at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium when a goalpost fell on him.

The 26-year-old goalkeeper, who recently recovered from a finger injury that kept him out of the 2022 FIFA World Cup, was helped to his feet before limping off the pitch.

Wollacott will have a scan to determine the extent of his injury before the Angola doubleheader.

The first leg will take place on March 23 at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium, with the second leg scheduled for March 27 in Luanda.

AFCON 2023 Qualifiers: Jojo Wollacott suffers injury during Black Stars training ahead of Angola clash

Ghana is currently tied for first place in Group E, with four points earned from their previous two matches, which included a 3-0 win over Madagascar and a 1-1 draw with the Central African Republic in June of last year.

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Jerome Otchere’s Take: Why Hughton impressed me

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Ghana coach Chris Hughton claims he developed positive relationships with his players while serving as technical advisor

Black Stars coach Chris Hughton lived up to expectation at the press conference in Kumasi, which officially unveiled him to the Ghanaian. Some have argued that for a coach of his make, he wouldn’t underperform at a press event. I agree with that. 

For any candid review, too, Chris Hughton’s responses to questions, his depth of knowledge and composure wouldn’t also escape attention. I believe he’s the coach Ghana should’ve had a year back but there’s no need elaborating on that point. 

I take a leaf from a decent answer Hughton gave on the issue of interference in selection to say, we must leave the past behind and focus on the future. “All I can say is, I am the new head coach. Anything you speak of before my time here is very much something you’re bringing up. It’s in the past,” said Chris Hughton. 

An AFCON qualifier awaits us on Thursday against Angola. Hughton has already named his squad. What lies ahead is what presently matters. Thus, in our forward march, Hughton made modest promises. 

“I will be spending more time in Ghana. I will be watching more games. I am constantly being made aware of players who are doing well. I’ll be paying more attention to [GPL] games because it is important that we have a strong national league” he said.   

“No coach can sit here and guarantee a trophy buy what I can guarantee is a strong team. We want to see a winning team”. In all, relevant questions were asked, and Hughton answered them well like the one concerning his contract. It’s been argued that discussions on his contract are needless, but that position is flawed.

When we’ve not kept a coach for long in recent years, there’s every need to ask what Hughton makes of his 21-month contract. “I have to get the right balance of what’s short-term, what’s medium term, and what’s long term. At this moment, always the most important is short-term. Winning football matches that’ll get you into a better position to when the other games come around. 

“The medium term of course is making sure that you all qualify and do well in the competition itself. The longer term, of course, is about developing players and bringing players through the system and that takes time. There’s no doubt, as a team that played in the World Cup with the youngest team, we’ve to have an eye on development. 

“And development can take time and sometimes this is where you need that little bit of patience from the likes of yourself, the journalists, the supporters” said Hughton. “So, the length of my contact is probably the correct length”.

That enlightened answer on his contract is why Hughton impressed me. We’ve been on this short-term Black Stars coaching business. The responses you get from people you expect to know better, is as if you’re an enemy of state who hates progress. Hughton, by that informed response and the others he gave showed why we must support him. 

Source: Jeromeotchere.com

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AFCON 2023 Qualifiers: Koln winger Kingsley Schindler replaces injured Tariq Lamptey

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AFCON 2023 Qualifiers: Koln winger Kingsley Schindler replaces injured Tariq Lamptey

Black Stars coach Chris Hughton has called up German-born Ghanaian winger Kingsley Schindler for the game against Angola.

Tariq Lamptey, who is out with an injury, was replaced by the 29-year-old.

The Koln winger is making his first national team appearance and could make his debut against Angola on Thursday.

This season, the former Holstein Kiel winger has been consistent for FC Koln, appearing in 20 Bundesliga games.

Schindler arrived in Ghana on Monday and began training with the rest of the team as preparations for the game in Kumasi began.

Meanwhile, seventeen players arrived at camp, with the remainder of the team expected to arrive today before the squad departs for Kumasi on Tuesday.

Abdul Manaf Nurudeen, Joseph Wollacott, Alexander Djiku, Denis Odoi, Kingsley Schindler, Patrick Kpozo, Daniel Amartey, Joseph Aidoo, Andre Ayew, Joseph Painstil, Ransford Yeboah, Inaki Williams, Antoine Semenyo, Jordan Ayew, Mohammed Salisu, Majeed Ashimeru and Edmund Addo were the players in camp.

Source: ghanasoccernet.com

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