‘I have learnt my lessons’ – Kwadwo Poku

By: Jerome Otchere

Posted: 3rd March 2008

Striker Kwadwo Poku has told the Kotoko Express that he felt extremely bad when the Disciplinary Committee of the club slapped a two-month suspension on him after he was found guilty of unprofessional behaviour in February. He said he had learnt good lessons from what happened to him and that he would be of good behaviour throughout his stay at Kotoko.

Kwadwo Poku alias ‘Mahala’ made these pronouncements last Saturday after securing a hat trick in the friendly international match against Togolese champions Asko De Kara at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium. The entire Kotoko team under the tutelage of assistant Coach Johnson Smith played excellently. The team showed great creativity in beautiful attacking game.

However, it was the spectacular performance of Kwadwo Poku ‘Mahala’ that remained the talking point hours after the match. Supporters who watched the match were seen in groups in and outside the stadium, discussing the outcome of game with respect to Kwadwo Poku’s glittering performance. The striker scored the first goal in the 16th minute when he outran his marker with a pass from Nii Adjei to shoot powerfully into left corner of the net.

Kwadwo Poku made it two goals six minutes after recess. He scored his third in the 78th minute when Seydou Dagano worked hard from midfield to find him. Kwadwo Poku outwitted his marker and consequently beat on rushing goal keeper Adoyi Essofa. He told this paper in a post-match interview that the three goals marked his return to the team admitting that he was still yet to hit his best form since returning to Kumasi Asante Kotoko.

He promised that he would be training hard to maintain his latest form. “I was disappointed when I was suspended. I felt bad. In fact I regret whatever I did. I pray that my supporters will forgive me after showing remorse and scoring for them as well. When I did something wrong, everybody talked about me. That was bad news. Today, there is good news to make them happy” said Kwadwo Poku.

As already stated, Kwadwo Poku was suspended for two months without salary after slapping Komla Dodzie three times for a rough tackle on him in a training match last month. An overwhelming call for leniency from the entire team and Kwadwo Poku’s show of remorse, however, led the club’s disciplinary committee chairman and Director of Operations Jerry Asare to reduce the suspension against the player to a fine of 100 Ghana cedis (1million cedis).

“Based on the apology from the player, his colleagues and the technical bench, we decided to reduce the punishment to 100 Ghana cedis. He therefore was given the chance to play against the Togolese team and he performed well. This means the punishment was not to destroy him but to correct him” said Jerry Asare. Director of Communications Kwame Baah-Nuako shared his thoughts on Kwadwo Poku’s suspension and his hat trick last Saturday.

Kwame said that it was good for the striker to prove his worth after being suspended for misbehaviour. And to buttress the Director of Operation’s assertions, the Director of Communications opined that the punishment meted out to the striker was meant to reform him and not to destroy him. “He showed remorse. There were pleas from his colleagues as well. The disciplinary committee and management listened to the pleas for mercy” Kwame said.