The 2017/18 Ghana Premier League got underway on Saturday, March 17 2017 after the legal tussle that stalled its start ended this week. I’m glad that the competition has finally taken off but I’m not so convinced that, we’ve completely gotten over the issues which ensured the league’s delayed start. In this article, I take a brief look at the 16 coaches in the league and what I make of them going into the season.
Asante Kotoko, Paa Kwesi Fabin
He’s back at Kotoko nearly a decade after he was sacked for non-performance. A lot has gone on at Kotoko and even for Paa Kwesi himself since 2009/10 season, when he coached Kotoko. It’s unfair to judge him now on the premise of his performance that season. He comes in with practically no hand in the recruitment for the 2017/18 season. He’s also had less than a month to prepare the team as a new coach. It will be natural if Paa Kwesi face difficulties. He’s not that coach who will buckle under pressure. He has the temperament to understand the pressure at Kotoko especially when the going gets difficulty. If Paa Kwesi will be an early casualty, it will be as a result of the impatience of Kotoko’s management, who must not repeat the Zdravko Logarusic episode. Paa Kwesi has a fine deputy in Akakpo Patron, whose knowledge and experience negate any disadvantage the timing of Paa Kwesi’s late appointment comes with. The fans must be patient with Paa Kwesi and his players if things get difficulty.
Hearts of Oak, Henry Wellington
This is will be the first time, Henry Wellington will go into a new season as the head of the technical team of any Ghana Premier League side if my memory serves me right. He was quite a fine assistant under former coach, Frank Nuttall. Having deputised well, it was fair that, Hearts managers put him in-charge of the team. Wellington fared well also as coach of Kotoko’s U-20 team. I’m left with little doubt that, he has the wherewithal to steer Hearts. If he will be an early casualty; it may not be failure to perform but perhaps Hearts managers’ liking to have a substantive head coach. Undue pressure from the fans could as well create problems for Wellington. Yet with new Managing Director, Mark Noonan; Hearts fans must patiently support the new regime which certainly includes Coach Henry Wellington.
Aduana Stars, Yussif Abubakar
He led Aduana Stars to title triumph last season. He comes across as one of the experience coaches on the domestic scene. With the quality Aduana Stars still possess, it should not be too difficult for him to replicate the performance seen of him last season. It’s a dicey situation for coach Abubakar in the CAF Champions League however as I write. Should his team qualify to the league stage of that competition, that will be an added advantage. It shouldn’t be too much of a setback however for him and his team if they don’t progress in Africa. Coach Abubakar should still be able to steer a successful GPL campaign.
Ashantigold, C. K. Akunnor
He was the saviour of Ashgold’s sinking ship last season. His arrival at Obuasi from Dawu stabilised Ashgold as he chalked vital wins to ensure their survival in the league albeit at the last minute. C. K. Akunnor will still has a lot of offer. The arrival of a technical director at Ashgold (brought in by Ashgold’s new owners) could be positive if any conflict of ideas that arise between him and Akunnor is handled maturely. Akunnor is likely to survive the first round of the league and end it well if the new owners of the club don’t take rush decisions in their restructuring bid.
Berekum Chelsea, Svetislav Tanasijevic
He has no experience in the Ghanaian Premier League. His confession recently, that, the league delay helped him to study his players and the terrain gives him away as a coach who will obviously need time to settle properly. Whether or not the Berekum Chelsea leadership will have that time for him, I can’t tell but I wish him well in his endeavour.
Bechem United, Bismark Kobina Mensah
As of press time, Coach Kobina Mensah’s Bechem United had lost 3-0 to Inter Allies in their first game. That emphatic result means Inter Allies were too good for Coach Kobina’s side. I’s a bad start for him and Bechem United, who are usually poor away. Coach Kobina must take consolation in the fact that, they will be back at home to undo this heavy defeat but then he must fare well in other away matches if he’s to earn and sustain the confidence of the Bechem United Management throughout the season.
Dreams FC, Abdul Karim Zito
There’s a weighty expectation for Coach Abdul Karim Zito to fulfill particularly having won the Ghalca-organised G-8 tournament. Zito started pre-season early. His recruitment was point. He accepts the challenge to make Dawu a slippery ground for any visiting team. He has the men to do that. Additionally, he has one of the best Management setups in the league. Coach Zito must eschew any tinge of over-confidence and keep his focus. Dreams FC will be a difficult side to beat anywhere in the competition.
Ebusua Dwarfs – Bashir Hayford
His exchanges with Dwarfs fans started even before he was officially signed. Some Dwarfs fans weren’t enthused with the performance of the team in the G-8 but Coach Bash as he’s affectionately called was more on an observatory mission, which those fans didn’t understand. Bash has brought in young, fine talents and they will need little time to gel. The impatience of Dwarfs fans and Bash’s responses to them will be interesting to watch. You can trust the experienced Bashir Hayford to however contain pressure of the fans if he gets the backing of Dwarfs’ management.
Elmina Sharks, Yaw Acheampong
Like Dreams FC’s Karim Zito, Yaw Acheampong has a well-structured, professional team of managers behind him. He has little or no excuse for failure. He’s a fine budding coach who with time will grow. I however think the top-four target set for him is over-ambitious against the backdrop of the pressure that could be exerted on him by the Management should desired results not come early. Thus, Yaw Acheampong could be axed earlier than expected but I will love to see him proving me wrong.
Eleven Wonders, Abdul Mumuni Gamel
I don’t know much about Coach Abdul Mumuni Gamel. I however liked some his post-match interviews at the G-8. Being coach of a newly promoted side, how he performs outside Techiman, where Eleven Wonders are expected to be strong, will be crucial to his survival and indeed that of his team. He has some experienced players to work with. Coach Gamel must dig deep and get the best from his experience players if he’s to stay on the job up to the end of the first round or throughout the league.
Karela United, Johnson Smith
He’s one of the most underrated yet he’s among the finest coaches on the local scene. He’s been around for over a decade. His excellent work with Bashir Hayford at Kotoko ten years ago is still fresh on my mind. He’s improve significantly with press interviews. I expect him to do well in that area. Coach Smith must however get good results with the sort of purchases the Management has made for him. He has some quality players and must make his experience on the domestic scene count.
Inter Allies, Kenichi Yatshuashi
He promised to be back when he was leaving Heats of Oak. He’s actually been back. Kenichi surely has an unfinished business in the Ghana Premier League. Like or loathe him, he will be one of the reasons Inter Allies wouldn’t struggle this season. At this stage, I’m compelled to edit an earlier position on Inter Allies. I gravely and mistakenly overlooked the Kenichi factor. He’s had a brilliant start to the season. Given his experience at Hearts, Kenichi’s brilliant start is likely to continue. He has a relatively fine understanding of our terrain. Added to that, he has a serious and professional Management. They will be so helpful to him and they must back him fully to be successful.
Medeama, Samuel Boadu
Coach Samuel Boadu is a largely unknown commodity. That could well be to his advantage. He wouldn’t have incessant media attention to warrant any undue pressure. Formerly of Division One side, Asokwa Deportivo, Coach Boadu once played for Prestea Mine Stars and Ghapoha too. He knows the Ghanaian game. Medeama were in good scoring form during the G-8. If Coach Boadu can replicate that form in the league, that will ease any difficult he will face. Medeama management must back well.
Liberty Professionals, Reginald Asante
He also comes across as unknown package. My checks reveal he used to be with Liberty’s junior side. I doubt if he will be the man in-charge of the team throughout the season especially when Liberty has struggled in the last few seasons. They might well go in for experienced hands when the going gets though.
WAFA, Klavs Rasmussen
Coach Rasmussen was behind WAFA’s fine run last season and he will predictably execute another good job this season. WAFA arguably made the choice not to go for the league title last, especially after selling a chunk of the quality players they had. You can trust Rasmussen and the WAFA setup to produce more quality this season and in the unlikely event that they don’t get desired result, the academy side won’t take hasty, irrational decisions being who we’ve known them to be.
Wa All Stars, Mumuni Sopari
Another unknown coach to me but that’s in no way underrating whatever comes to the season with. I will like to follow him closely during the season to get more of him to make better analysis as the season progresses. I wish him well.