Asante Kotoko’s captain, Richard Boadu, has opened up about the challenging times the team faced during the last season, revealing that some players deliberately feigned illness during training to avoid matches. Boadu made these revelations in an interview with Kessben FM in Kumasi.
According to Boadu, there was a lot of pressure within the team, and many players were eager for the season to come to an end. Unfortunately, Asante Kotoko fell short of expectations in their bid to defend the league title, and they also experienced early exits in both the CAF Champions League and MTN FA Cup.
“Difficult moment? Well everyone turned their back on us in terms of money and everything because things were slow. You will speak to the management and they will say we are not winning so we were like please God help us“
Adding to the team’s struggles, reports indicate that the players are owed three months’ salaries after the conclusion of the 2022/23 Premier League season. Boadu acknowledged that dealing with issues like this made his role as the team’s leader more challenging.
“Sometimes we go to training and some players who are not sick will forcibly fall sick due to the situation. Most of the time I will be having meetings with the players and I will be pleading with them to do well and all help. It’s really difficult”
He further disclosed that during training sessions, some players pretended to be ill, creating additional hurdles for the team. Boadu mentioned that he often had to motivate and encourage the players during team meetings to maintain their focus and dedication.
Despite the hardships faced, Boadu expressed his commitment to serving the team, highlighting the responsibility that comes with playing for Asante Kotoko.
“It got time, about four games to end the season, we were praying that the season will come to an end quickly. The heat at Kotoko is not easy but we’ve chosen to play so and it is ours therefore anytime the heat comes you know how to go about things”
The season ultimately ended with Asante Kotoko finishing in the 4th position, unable to retain their league title.
By: Samuel Akwasi Yeboah
