Asantehene places transfer embargo on Kotoko
Work with your already large squad, technical team told.
Asante Kotoko are entering a self-imposed embargo on player recruitments for at least the next one season, the Ghanaian giants’ ownership has directed.
It is understood that the Manhyia Palace was left concerned by the rate of player turnover at the club in recent years.
This was after Dr. Kwame Kyei, who has been retained to lead the Porcupine Warriors, presented a report on his stewardship as Executive Chairman for over the past three years.
Some 80+ players, reportedly, have been in and out of the club during this period.
In a bid to enforce some stability and enable the Maxwell Konadu-led technical team to work with the current crop of players in pushing the club to the top, Club Owner and Life Patron, the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II issued a transfer embargo.
This directive was made known by Chief of Staff at the Manhyia Palace, Kofi Badu in a speech read on behalf of the Asantehene, at the inaugural meeting of the newly-constituted 9-member board for Kotoko Tuesday.
“Player development must be the key to the future of Kotoko,” he stated.
He then continued: “Kotoko always had a brand of football which reflected the fighting spirit of Asanteman. It is that brand of football that always captured the mood and imagination of the people. This brand of football can only be developed over time.
“Unfortunately, because of recent practices by which players are purchased and dispensed with almost as we purchase and dispense with our jerseys, it is no wonder that Kotoko has failed lately to reflect the club’s traditional brand.
“To underscore the end of this unhappy module, Otumfuo has directed that Kotoko shall not recruit any players into the first team for at least one season.”
“As you see from your records, Kotoko has a squad far in excess of the appropriate requirement for the Premier League. This can only represent an unwelcomed waste of resources.
“And there’s no reason why your technical team should not be called upon to trim the squad off its excesses and give you a squad which would be imbued over time with the true Kotoko spirit to play the brand of football that is truly Kotoko,” the Chief of Staff added.
The new Asante Kotoko board will pay a courtesy call on the Asantehene at Manhyia Palace after the meeting.