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A different story will be told at Baba Yara- Coach Bashir Hayford Assures.
Posted:11/03/08, 23:45GMT
Coach Bashir Hayford has assured Kotoko supporters that they would see a much improved performance in the second round of the league, when Kotoko will welcome Hearts of Oak to the Baba Yara Sports Stadium. He said the performance shown by Kotoko was good despite expressing his unhappiness with the team’s inability to secure a win.
“Hearts of Oak was a drowning side. We needed to be careful in order not to go down the drain with them. We played better than them. I was convinced of victory but things did not go as expected. I however assure our supporters that they will smile in the return leg because Kotoko will win”.
Kotoko’s tactics against the struggling defending league champions was impressive right from defence to attack. Samuel Inkoom, Richard Manu and Prince Anokye proved to be great assets whereas Harrison Afful who emerged as the Best Player justified why his invitation to the senior national team, the Black Stars was no fluke. Asked whether he was satisfied with his players’ output in defence, Coach Bashir Hayford he expected more from his defenders but he was quick to add that there was more room for improvement.
He said various analyses could be made and that those who wanted to be objective would not take anything away from his team. “The players worked hard in my estimation. I naturally expected more but no one can say what our performance was nothing to write home about. We have to continue working hard and improve” Coach Bash maintained. The coach might have gotten his chemistry right in defence but he was criticised by some fans for maintaining some unimpressive players for a longer period.
The Kotoko Head Coach disagreed with those critics arguing that his substitutions were made at the right time. “There was a strategy for this match. We couldn’t have approach things anyhow. We prepared well and came on with a specific objective. We didn’t win but then the performance was satisfactory” said Coach Bash.
He continued that his attackers worked strenuously to break the deadlock but Hearts’ defence was uncompromising. “Things did not work well for Eric Bekoe. He was policed everywhere. I brought in another attacker. That varied the course of events. We noticed the difference but then we still could not find the goal” he said. On the way forward, Coach Bash served the reminder that it was important for Kotoko supporters to put Sunday’s match behind them.
“Certainly this is not the result we expected but we have to be thankful. There are two matches left. We must settle quickly to plan for those matches” he said. Kotoko will play Real Tamale United at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium in the last match of the first round but preceding that game however is the crunch duel away to Berekum Arsenal tomorrow at the Golden City Park.
That match promises to cagey, perhaps more difficult than the date against the Phobians. The team is not oblivious of the task ahead of them tomorrow. The Golden City Park has not been a favourable ground for Kotoko in the last couple of years. Last season, the club played under loads of pressure and intimidation to eventually lose 2-0. The story about pressure and intimidation is unlikely to change but victory is certain.
What will count for Kotoko is its impressive form and its determination not to lose again, taking full cognisance of the fact that the only match the club has lost this season was to Ashantigold at the Berekum Golden City Park. Coach Bashir Hayford is not perturbed by that. He is confident of victory. Berekum Arsenal’s performance this season has been impressive. They occupy the fourth position on the league table with 22 points and are yet to lose at home.
Kotoko’s ‘Operation 40 points’ campaign will not be achievable but six points is there for grabs in the last two matches. Thus the only option left for the Porcupine Warriors is to win the last two games to consolidate its first position on the league table.
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