Former Asante Kotoko forward Charles Taylor has boldly stated that Asante Kotoko is a bigger sporting brand than Ghana’s national football team, the Black Stars.
In an interview, Taylor argued that Kotoko’s players maintain better fitness levels due to their weekly match engagements, unlike the Black Stars, who only play periodically. He believes that this regular competition gives Kotoko players an edge in terms of readiness and fitness compared to their national team counterparts.
While acknowledging the Black Stars’ struggles in the African Nations Championship (CHAN) featuring locally-based players, Taylor emphasized that there is plenty of untapped talent within the domestic league that could significantly contribute to the national team. He criticized the exclusion of local players from the Black Stars, attributing their absence to the team’s recent poor performances.
“I know that if we give the local players the chance, they will deliver for the country. A player like Justice Blay—if he cannot play for the Black Stars, then he is not fit to be an Asante Kotoko player. This is because Kotoko is bigger than the Black Stars,” Taylor told Angel TV.
He added, “Black Stars play matches periodically, but Kotoko play almost every weekend, so their players are fitter and better than the Black Stars players. How many of our Black Stars players start regularly at their clubs?”
Taylor concluded by stressing the need for competition within the national team, asserting that the inclusion of more locally-based players would push foreign-based players to raise their game.
