Ernest Appau, a former player of Asante Kotoko, has attributed his former club’s struggles to the demise of their youth team.
Despite winning the Premier League title last season, the Porcupine Warriors have faced difficulties in recent times. They failed to advance beyond the first round of continental competitions, resulting in limited slots for Ghana in African competitions.
Appau, who achieved success with Kotoko in Africa, believes that the club can improve by revitalizing their youth team.
“Kotoko now signs players who are not matured enough to fit into the team, but Kotoko is not a club to experiment with players. As a player, you have to fit in and win honors for the club. Kotoko fans are very demanding; they always want to see the club winning trophies, unlike other clubs who can recruit players from the first and second divisions.”
“If they can revive the youth team, I believe it will benefit the club. The youth team contributed to our success during our time with Kotoko.”
“During our era, there was a transition from the youth team to the senior team, and that had a significant impact. I think the collapse of the youth team is affecting the club, and I urge the management to carefully consider this issue and revive the youth team,” he told Kessben FM.
Ernest Appau was a part of the 1983 Asante Kotoko CAF Champions League squad that beat Al Ahly to the title.
Appau spent most of his coaching career at the Kotoko youth team. He got the nod to handle the first team on an interim basis in 2017 after Kotoko team bus had an accident on their return from Accra which hospitalised then head coach Steve Pollack.-
