Ex- Kotoko player Ernest Appau has outlined factors affecting Ghanaian clubs in Africa competitions. The recent performance of Ghanaian clubs in African competitions has been poor as compared to past years where Accra Hearts of Oak and Kumasi Asante Kotoko football club were able to win the CAF champions league and the super cup. Both teams made great history in the median edition of the CAF Confederations Cup in 2004 to top their groups to play the finals in Ghana Accra Hearts of Oak defeating their arch rivals to lift the ultimate trophy for the first time in the history of Africa football. “The football calendar in Ghana is not well arranged and that has affected our teams performance in the league and Africa competitions.
The moment our teams qualify for Africa cup and the team that wins the FA Cup at that time there is no competition in Ghana for them to start preparations for the African competitions in January and February where we will still be in preseason”,Appau revealed this in an interview with Kumasi based radio station ASHH FM. “If the calendar is well planned in Ghana at the time the tournament kicks off our league will be in its sixth week which will help the teams correct their mistakes ahead of the CAF champions League and Confederations cup respectively.” Appau added. The last time a Ghanaian club performed well was way back 2012 where Berekum Chelsea got to the group stage of the CAF Champions League after winning the Ghana Premier League in the 2010/11 season to participate in the CAF Champions League. The four slots of Ghanaian teams in African two each in Champions league and the Confederation Cup respectively have been reduce to one each with regardes to our poor output in the competition. Ernest Appau is the current coach of Kumasi Asante Kotoko U-20 team.
Credit; sportsnewsgh