Coach Bash excited with pre-season training  

Correspondent: Jerome Otchere, Oseikrom

25th August 2007

Coach Bashir Hayford has stated that Kotoko’s pre-season programme has largely been successful and that the technical team would not rest until it has achieved its objectives. He said he has been in total control of matters related to Kotoko’s training schedule and player selection for the next football season and indicated that the technical team was committed to building a strong team for the up-coming season.

The coach made these remarks in an interview with the Kotoko Express on Wednesday. The paper called Coach Bashir Hayford for explanations on why he selected forty players instead of the much publicised thirty-five. “Thirty-five players will be used next season. Currently, we do not know when the league will start. We must make room for any eventuality. We are still training; anything can happen. There can be injuries or some of the players who went for trials outside could leave. That is why I settled on forty to forestall any problem” he said.

Brimming with confidence and exhibiting seriousness in thought, Coach Bashir Hayford admitted that more needed to be done to ensure that Kotoko excel in the 2007/2008 season. He confirmed that morale in camp was high and with more training and trial matches the team would be in excellent form before the league starts. 

Though Coach Bashir Hayford was required to submit names of thirty-five players who will feature for the club both in local and international competitions, he presented a list of forty players comprising six goalkeepers, twelve lateral and central defenders, fifteen midfielders – seven of which are wingers. Seven strikers were also selected. Since the publication of the list by the Kotoko Express on Tuesday, Kotoko supporters and some football analysts have been asking why the coach settled on forty players and not thirty-five.

The explanation given by Coach Bash initially on Tema based Adom FM on Tuesday seems to have calmed nerves as supporters’ interviewed by this paper on Wednesday indicated that majority of the fans have little or no problem with the coach’s clarifications. In essence they have absolute confidence in the coach. “We do not have to interfere in Coach Bash’s work. He must be given a free hand to work. There should be no interference” said the Greater Accra Circles PRO, Osei Owusu.