GRi Sports Ghana 12 - 04 - 2001
Soccer- A new
dawn, as Star Premier League kicks off
Soccer-Hearts appoint Sports Consult as its
official tour organiser
Roy Ankarah and Wharton to be remembered.
Soccer- A new
dawn, as Star Premier League kicks off
Accra (Greater Accra) 12 April
2001
A new year, a new season, a new
name and the Star Premier League kicks off this Saturday.
And if pre season action could be
used as an indicator, then this year's league would be one of the most keenly
contested in recent memory.
The start, which is a bit behind
schedule due to a number of court cases filed against the FA delayed the
play-off between Power F/C and Obuasi Adansiman to determine which of them
joins the elite division.
As connoisseurs of the game take a
deep look into the crystal ball to see who is likely to come out tops, come
November when the League is supposed to end, one name, which is on all lips is
Accra Hearts of Oak.
The Super Champions of Africa,
having capped a wonderful season by winning their first continental trophy last
year in an emphatic fashion and having virtually dominated the local scene are
bookmakers' favourites to hit an encore.
Whether they would be able to
repeat this enviable feat is what their supporters are asking since most of the
regulars have been listed for transfer to European clubs.
Hearts will be spared league
action on the opening day because of their continental assignment against
Etoile du Congo on Sunday.
Looking at the quality of players
the Phobians have been able to rake into their fold one would realise that
Harry Zakkour and his management team are not in the mood to relinquish any of
their trophies without a fight.
The inclusion of the likes of
controversial Bernard Don Bortey from Ghapoha, George Eranio form King Faisal
and Odartey Lawson from city rivals Great Olympics is an indication of the
preparedness of the champions to defend their trophies.
Mathew Attiogbe, Steven Owusu and
Abdul Razak all recruited from relegated Dwarfs and intelligent Dan Oppong from
Bofoakwa are equally good players who can help Hearts launch a successful
assault once more.
Another thing going well for the
champions is that a chunk of their first team players was kept very busy during
the off season, featuring regularly for the Black Stars, thereby retaining
their fitness and form which would be utilised to continue their domination of
Ghana soccer.
Fans of the fabulous club, Kumasi
Asante Kotoko, who have watched in agony teams, like Obuasi Goldfields and
Hearts snatch all the glory since the inception of the professional league
think they have endured enough and it is time for them to assume a leadership
role in Ghana soccer.
Under their charismatic chairman
Herbert Mensah, Kotoko have moved from the rebuilding stage of the club, where
they took pains to dissect the problems and put up
professional structures to ensure
the team succeeds.
Based on their performance during
the pre season, where they played almost all the premier league sides winning
over 14 matches and losing only to Asuom based Kwabibirem, which defeat they
had since avenged, Kotoko are poised to carry the fight to the other clubs.
No matter how lowly Mr Herbert
Mensah ironically, pegs the chances of his team no one should be under any
illusion of their ability when hostilities begin.
Even though Kotoko have not been
that busy on the transfer market compared to last year, they have recruited a
mixture of experience and youth.
Kotoko's signings for the season
seem to be well orchestrated by their German coach Ernst Middendorp who has
been able to bring in players to fit into problem spots the team identified
last season.
The likes of Nana Frimpong from
King Fiasal and Joe Okyere who have much professional experience look a sure
bet to end the goal scoring drought of the team, while Joe Sam from Dwarfs,
Abedi Sarfo, Osei Kwame and Angelo Dedon would oil the midfield.
For the defence, which has been
one of his sour points in the previous seasons the coach has been able to
obtain the services of goalkeeper Louis Quainoo from Liberty Professionals.
Daniel Acquah from RTU, Godfred
Yeboah from Bofoakwa and promising youngsters like Patrick Doodo, Michael Ofosu
Appiah and William Thompson from Senior Secondary Schools in the Kumasi
metropolis are budding stars who are waiting for the spoil.
Obuasi Goldfields have always been
potential champions ever since they won the league three times on the trot, but
their last triumph was four years ago and ever since, they have remained on the
fringes with nothing much as testimony.
The Aboakese lads have been on the
quiet during the pre season, with all their old players at base. They are
likely to beef up their armanda, with some youthful talents from their football
academy and look a good bet to slug it out with the big clubs in quest for the
supreme honour.
Dansoman based Liberty
Professionals have grown in stature year after year since joining the league
four years ago, but though they have not won any silver ware, they have been
able to cement their place as the second force in Greater Accra above the likes
of Olympics and Ghapoha.
Club owner, Sly Tetteh has been
able to hold onto almost all the key members of his squad, losing only his
brilliant goalkeeper Louis Quainoo to Kotoko in a swap with Humphrey Amoah.
New signings have been few with
Satellite midfield dynamo, Sule Muntari from third division Owariman United, as
the biggest buy. Other recruitment was done in the West African sub region,
with Martin Ofoe from ASEC Abidjan and two Togolese imports pitching tent with
the Professionals.
Wonder Club, Accra Great Olympics
are again doing what they know best as boardroom quibbles have resulted in the
sacking of their enigmatic president, Joseph Ade Coker who has been in charge
for the past six years. And with just days to the start of the new season the
Olympics camp has been thrown into confusion and all preseason activities sunk
in disarray. Already information coming from the new Interim Management
Committee (IMC) headed by Mr Richard Oblitey Solomon is that Ade Coker sold
most of the regular players before stepping down.
Some of the players sold are Aziz
Ansah, Joe Louis, Samuel Money and Fusani Adams who were sold to Kotoko and
many more to other clubs at give away prices, and further weakening an already
depleted Olympics squad.
The IMC was only given the card
"A" of seven regular players, meaning that they have to start from
scratch and convince disgruntled players of Olympics to rescind their decision
to play for them in the coming season.
But if this proves futile then
Olympics would be forced to rely on inexperienced players who would find the
going very tough before even adjusting and that might see them battling
relegation again this season.
Kumasi based King Faisal led by
their outspoken owner Alhaji Karim Grunsah may remain the bogy club of most of
the big clubs.
Though they sold most of their
good players, Alhaji Grunsah has the reputation of recruiting great talents who
have been anonymous and unveiling them in the professional league to cause
havoc to the big teams.
Having lost Nana Frimpong and
George Eranio to Kotoko and Hearts respectively and with rising stars, Frank
Osei and Eric Gawu away to Germany on trials with Dortmund, King Faisal might
not be the team they were last year.
Mid table teams like Okwawu
United, Tema Ghapoha, Sekondi Hassacas and the pride of the north Real Tamale
United (RTU) would as usual slug it out without making much impact at the top
level but are likely to fight tooth and nail to escape relegation.
Dawu Youngsters, Bofoakwa and
Kwabibibrem may be at the receiving end, especially when they play away from
home.
Dawu has however revamped their
team with players like Mohammed Polo, Samuel Bakai and Shamo Abbey all from
Kotoko, as well as some new players from Bofoakwa and Liberty and if their form
is complemented with a good technical team, they might spring a surprise.
The new entrants Obuasi Adansiman,
Berekum Arsenals and Suhum Maxbees would have a very torrid time especially,
during the first half of the league, but their survival would depend on how
best they hold their own during this baptismal period.
Come November, barring any delays,
when the winner would be known all true lovers of football would expect
football to be the winner and the unnecessary board room wrangling and crowd
violence that descended our soccer during the last season would be a thing of
the past.
GRi…/
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Soccer-Hearts appoint Sports Consult as its
official tour organiser
Accra (Greater Accra) 12 April 2001
The Management of Accra Hearts of Oak Sporting club has appointed Sports Consult, a sports management/consultants to organise its fans for the World Club Championship in Spain this July.
A statement issued and signed by Miss Patience Nanor-Quadzi, Client Service Executive of Sports Consults in Accra on Wednesday said a letter was addressed to them by Mr Ato Ahwoi, Board Chairman of Hearts, mandating them to assist the team in its quest to extend its achievements to the international stage.
The statement said Sports Consult together with its overseas partners, Groundhost of Leeds, UK, have the largest network for organising sports fans worldwide to follow Hearts during the tournament from July 27 to August 12, this year.
GRi…/
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Roy Ankarah and Wharton to be remembered.
Accra (Greater Accra) 12 April 2001
The exploits of two Ghanaian athletes, the late Roy Ankarah and Arthur Wharton, would be celebrated in a special ceremony at the Wato Club, Accra on Thursday April 12.
A statement issued in Accra on Wednesday by Levant Limited, organisers of the ceremony said the occasion marks the 50th anniversary of the late Roy Ankrah's achievement in gaining the British Empire Featherweight championship.
The second, Arthur Wharton, born in Jamestown in 1865 was the first black footballer to play in the English Football League as a goalkeeper for Preston North End.
He was also the World 100 yards champion.
On display would be some of Roy Ankrah's boxing memorabilia and photographs.
GRi…/
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