Former Asante Kotoko defender Emmanuel Ampiah has pointed fingers at the players for the club's dismal performance in the league, rather than attributing it to the coach.
Asante Kotoko has suffered a significant slump in their recent league games, losing four out of their last five matches and drawing one.
The club's poor form has sparked outrage among supporters, who stormed the club's training grounds on Tuesday to vent their frustration. Ampiah, however, believes that the players are primarily responsible for the team's underwhelming results.
In an interview with Peace FM, monitored by Footballghana.com, Ampiah expressed his disappointment with the current squad, suggesting that they lack intelligence, strength, and dedication. He also questioned their fitness levels and training ethics, stating that some players even find the two-hour training sessions too tough.
"For me what I will say is lot of people are saying the old management that was sacked are the ones worrying the team that is one. In Africa the way we manage our football it is different from Europe it can be true it can also not be true but for me these players can't they see that the team they are playing is a big club. If it is a big club what are they going to do themselves to realise that were things are going is not good because during our time we the players sometimes sit down in a meeting and say the way things are going it wont help us. Should we do this or that you will see that everybody is determined that this match we going to play we have to turn up and win," he said.
"But these players now I see that they are not very intelligent, the are also not strong, they also don't know how to train and they are not fit too. I always say this and use myself as an example during my playing days I wake up at 4:00 am airport roundabout, Anloga junction to roundabout to Kejetia to Suame then leave Suame to airport roundabout to the house wash myself then go to training. Now even the two hours they do I have heard it is too much why will a player complain that training for two hours is too much so for me I put the blame on the players.
"The players can't think and see that the football they playing the team is a big team and we have to win do this or that. Secondly, I also blame the supporters they are not attending games. If the supporters attend games and you won't play well the next day going out will be difficult for you so I don't blame the coach I blame the players playing the football they are courageous and fit,"