Asante Kotoko Ghana Premier League title downplayed after former player rating exit of Kwame Opoku on Porcupines chances
Asante Kotoko have dealt with blow in race for the Ghana Premier League this season after former player rating the exit of USM Alger bound Kwame Opoku to have negative effects on the Kumasi based side title.
This season’s title race has become more competitive and hotter with Karela United leading in a close contest between them and Great Olympics who second with 30 points a point below the leaders.
However, the likes of Hearts of Oak and Kotoko cannot be overlooked and both teams pose a great threat for inexperience Karela and Olympics given the former two’s vast experience in the Ghana Premier League.
The two side have in combined 44 league titles with Kotoko leading their bitterest rivals 4 more Ghana Premier League trophies after Hearts last won the ultimate in 2009 to mark their 20th league title.
Kotoko have launched a serious operation to win the title this season and they are on course of achieving that ambition where a win in their outstanding fixture against Bechem United will take them to second position while Olympics will be dropped to third.
They brought in quality players Fabio Gama, Razak Abelora, former U-20 International Patrick Asmah, Latif Anabila, Yussif Mubarik and goal-paocher Kwame Opoku to open a search for the title- that has escaped them since 2014.
But an episode of the transfer activity seems to have a negative impact on Kotoko’s chances of winning the Ghana Premier League according to former Player Shilla Alhassan.
That comes with the move of Kwame Opoku to USM Alger who Alhassan believes Kotoko could have won the league with the presence of the Ghanaian forward but ‘his exit will make it extremely difficult for Kotoko to compete for the league’.
“Kotoko could have won the league with Kwame Poku.”
“His exit will make it extremely difficult for Kotoko to compete for the league,” he told Akoma FM in an interview.
This may seem to be emotional talk from Shilla Alhassan given his love for Kotoko and would want the club to book a spot in African club football next term, and the only way of achieving that is to win the Ghana Premier League.
However, from a realistic point, the former player’s opinion may seems to reveal a true scenario when Kwame Opoku appears the Reds’ top scorer and his exit means Kotoko will struggle with goalscoring or unless they find his perfect replacement within the club or some from outside.
Meanwhile, they have been left in limbo for replacement from the current squad as forwards Osman Ibrahim who started the season will is out of action due to injury while Ernest Appau has struggled to find more game time and even failed to score this term.
The only way out now is to settle for bringing in a new striker and Kotoko have already started negotiations to lure Kwame Peprah from King Faisal.
Perpah has so far been a revelation in Ghana’s top flight league netting 10 times, the numbers that is more than what Kwame Opoku has offered Kotoko 9 goals.
And should they lay hands on the King Faisal talisman Kotoko would get the ‘lost energy’- Opoku in Peprah to compete for the Ghana Premier League title.
Both Peprah and Opoku are in Black Stars camp ahead of double header Afcon qualifiers against South African and Sao Tome & Principe late this month.
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