|
Bring on Hearts- George Amoako
Posted: 16th May 2008
Kotoko’s 19th week premier league date with their rivals, Hearts of Oak, at the Baba Yara Stadium is some ten days away, but Kotoko supporters and recently management have started looking forward to a good whipping of their opponents on that day.
Though many have been speaking their minds on the match on different platforms, the latest addition to the group of optimists of the success of Kotoko in that match is the club’s director of finance and administration, George Amoako.
“Members of the Hearts of Oak fraternity jubilated when they were able to secure a draw in the first round at the Ohene Djan Stadium, and I bet you that they will not be second time lucky”.
“Comparing the two sides, I will be right in saying that Hearts of Oak cannot stand the tempo and character of the present Kotoko team. They will burn out with exhaustion if they try to keep up with our pace for half of the match period”.
According to him, after looking critically at the performance of the team and the kind of character they have been displaying in recent times, there was no way Kotoko was going to be denied the maximum points at stake in that match.
“People have said several times that matches between Kotoko and Hearts of Oak does not follow any form guide, but I will beg to differ on this occasion”.
“The Kotoko we have now is not like the team we used to have where there was rarely any display of character. The current crop of players have shown that they are willing and ready to push the Kotoko agenda and so it is not a difficult thing to put one’s trust in them these days”.
“Our players are fit, young and energetic so they are able to run for ninety minutes and more to overturn whatever difficulty they encounter in matches. It is therefore not a surprise that they have been confidently churning out these brilliant performances”.
“At the start of the season, we decided to do a good investment in the recruitment of players for the team and so went in for the kind of player we felt as a management would deliver. For now, the investments have started bearing fruits and I am sure that when they get to blast on full capacity, Kotoko will be as dangerous as a toxin on the pitch”.
He therefore entreated supporters of the club to endeavour to fill the stands at the Baba Yara Stadium to most importantly cheer the players on to victory.
On the Heart of Lions-Kotoko match, the finance and administration director of the club was full of praise for players, because they have done more than is normal of them in the last few days.
“My general assessment of the match is that of any one who paid into the stadium to watch football getting his monies worth. The two sides played well to entertain the spectators and at the end if it all, the better side won”.
Having played 135 minutes of continental football that entails a lot of burning out of energy and the weakening of limbs two days earlier, one would have thought that fatigue was going to set in on Kotoko’s players, but the dexterity and alacrity with which they outplayed and outrun their opponents points to one important fact, a high fitness level, and George Amoako says he knows what accounts for that.
“We have rolled out a mouth-watering incentive package that ensures that the players are well resourced to be able to get all they need to fully recover from their tiredness”.
“Besides, I am sure the fitness regimen of the technical team makes our players stronger and fitter to get over any pain associated with the hard work they do”.
He also pointing out that the tactical disposition of the team was superb and therefore sounded a note of warning to all clubs who shall be playing Kotoko to be ware of the sporting pains they will have to endure.
Assembling and maintenance of a good team most definitely involves a lot of financial strain, but the finance man says management was fully in control of the situation.
“What we are doing for the players in terms of motivation and incentives are a well thought through plan. We are not just throwing out money without a plan to have adequate replenishment”.
“Whatever package we roll out to the players are made with the intention of getting a corresponding response of goodwill from the team. I am happy to report that by their performance, they are doing their parts of the bargain”
“What we shall be doing as management is to continue to build a stronger bond trust between us and the players. With that, greater successes will continue to come our way as a team”.
|
