Kotoko steps up security at training grounds

The Management of Asante Kotoko S/C, has stepped up security, at the team’s Adako-Jachie training grounds near Kumasi, following reports of a possible invasion by some aggrieved supporters.

“We have reports that some aggrieved supporters are planning to invade the training grounds in order to disrupt our scheduled programme for the players,” Mr. Sarfo Duku, the Communications Director, confirmed this to the GNA Sports.

The club, he said, was, therefore, taking no chances in order to ensure the safety of the players and technical team.

There was a high police presence at the facility on Tuesday, as the two-time African champions went for their evening training session ahead of their CAF Confederation Cup tie against Cotton Sport of Cameroun.

Some supporters calling themselves the "Concerned Group" have since the beginning of this week, threatened to invade the training grounds and vent their spleen on the players and technical team for not performing up to expectation, especially in the team’s recent friendly match against Ashgold S/C.

The group, led by one Seidu Baba, is calling for the dismissal of coach Charles Akonnor, for demonstrating technical ineptitude since taking over some months ago.

Mr. Duku said management would not like to see a repetition of what happened about two years ago when the same group invaded the training grounds and forcibly walked out the then Coach Zdravko Logarusic.

That incident eventually led to the dismissal of the Croatian technical man.

“Any supporter who ventures to do the wrong thing will have himself to blame”, the Communications Director noted.

Meanwhile, coach Akonnor has called for massive support and prayers for the Porcupine Warriors as they trek to Cameroun on January 13, in order to battle Cotton Sport in the first leg of their CAF Confederation Cup preliminary tie.

“We are determined to avoid defeat in spite of the stiff challenge our opponents might give us,” he told the media.

Source: GNA