Asante Kotoko legend Frimpong Manso has voiced concerns about the intense pressure faced by players who joined the club from lower divisions.
Kotoko had a challenging previous season, finishing sixth in the Ghana Premier League, 12 points behind champions Samartex. Manso highlighted that the pressure at Kotoko is substantial and that the environment hindered the development of new players.
He pointed out that the club’s high expectations to win every match proved overwhelming for newcomers from Division Two and Division One. “Last season, they had a new crop of players, mostly from Division 2, some from Division 1, but at Kotoko, you know, they always want to win,” Manso told Joy Sports.
He added, “There’s a lot of pressure coaching Kotoko, and then there are a couple of other clubs. So it was clear those boys, at some point, couldn’t handle the pressure, so they were finding it difficult to play.”
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Manso also noted that the existing players faced challenges with then-coach Prosper Narteh Ogum, who had criticized them, leading to the release of many players. “The old ones, I think, also had issues with Prosper. I think he also came out and said they were politicians, and at the end of the season, he let go of a lot of them,” Manso said.
He concluded that the situation was not conducive to success and that the team is now looking to start afresh. Asante Kotoko has begun preseason training and is preparing for an away match against Karela United in early September.
