Kotoko register Boakye
Former Black Stars striker, Isaac Boakye, is set to make a return to Ghana football after signing for Kumasi Asante Kotoko for their domestic and continental campaigns a decade after leaving the Porcupine Warriors for a professional career in Europe.
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The striker, who made a career breakthrough in the German Bundesliga, was named alongside Osman Bashiru and Larbi Koomson in a strong 26-man squad which Kotoko have submitted to the Confederation of Africa Sports (CAF) for the 2014 Champions League campaign.
Acting General Manager of Kotoko, Samuel Opoku Nti, who disclosed the list to the Graphic Sports in Kumasi yesterday, said with the submission of the player list, Kotoko were now ready to take on the rest of Africa.
He said the team was mixture of young and experienced players who have the capacity to carry the team along the path of progress.
At 32, Boakye is expected to bring a wealth of experience to the attacking department of the team.
Bashiru, another powerful striker of immense potential, was signed from King Faisal and could be an effective addition to the team.
Former SC Medeama midfielder, Koomson, who had been training with the Ghana champions for some time now, finally joined the club and will add up to the luidity in the middle.
A notable name missing from the squad is Michael Helegbe, who failed to renew his contract with the club and is said to be on the books of Medeama.
Kotoko were knocked out in the preliminary round of the 2013 CAF Champions League by Algerian side, JSM Bejaia.
Full Champions League squad:
Goalkeepers: Soulmate Abdoulaye, Isaac Amoako and Joseph Addo.
Defenders: Christopher Bonney, Bobie Ansah, Amos Frimpong, Eric Donkor, Joseph Ochaya, Ben Adama, Abeidku Ainooson, Kwabena Adusei, Ohene Brenya and Godfred Asante.
Midfielders: Aminu Mohammed, Jordan Opoku, Larbi Koomson, Richard Mpong, Prince Baffoe, Issah Yakubu, Michael Akuffo, Stephen Oduro and Abdul Aziz Yusif.
Strikers: Seidu Bancey, Yahaya Mohammed, Isaac Boakye and Basiru Osman.
Meanwhile, a 10-member CAF Champions League committee has been inaugurated to manage the club’s participation in the competition. It is chaired by Alhaji Abu Lamini, a businessman.
The other members are Messrs Kabral Blay-Amihere, Samuel Osei Kuffour and Frank Apeagyei, all board members, Nana Kwaku Bosompem (Cashbee), businessman,
Kwaku Frimpong of Champion Divine Clinic, the club’s General Manager and Joe Aggrey, a veteran sports journalist and former a Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports.
The rest are businessmen Kennedy Agyapong (Kenpong) and Samson Deen and Nana Boakye of Nana Boakye Herbal Company.
During the inauguration, all members of the committee agreed to make personal contributions of not less than GH¢5,000 towards the competition.
The club has budgetted an amount of $500,000 towards its participation in Africa next year.