Kotoko's Management affirms confidence in coach Cooreman

Kumasi, Jan. 13, GNA - The Communications Director of Kumasi Asante Kotoko F/C, Mr Kwame Baah-Nuako has insisted that management has confidence in coach Maurice Cooreman and that they have no intentions of replacing him. Baah-Nuako therefore admonished supporters of the club to desist from calling for his dismissal adding that the coach's performance has been studied and was found to be capable of handling the technical affairs of the Club.

The Communications Director who was interacting with newsmen in Kumasi on Monday, indicated that it was also not true that management intended to replace assistant coach Johnson Smith and that he was still at post. Some supporters of Kotoko became furious soon after the Club drew 1-1 with visiting Bechem Chelsea in Kumasi on Sunday and called for the dismissal of Coach Cooreman, citing incompetence and his inability to live up to expectation in some crucial matches the team had played so far in the Premier League. Some of the supporters who spoke to the GNA Sports surprisingly agitated for the return of Kotoko's former Coach Bashiru Hayford, saying his performance whilst with the club was excellent and therefore needed to be re-called again.

Mr Baah-Nuako pointed out that it was wrong for the supporters to assume that the 'Porcupine Warriors' should have beaten Chelsea at all cost, noting that in modern football the technical strength of a team was the most important thing. "We played against a Chelsea side that had earlier beaten the likes of Accra Hearts of Oak and Liberty Professionals and so their technical ability and confidence could not be down played in any match so far as the 2008 -2009 League was concerned".

The Communications Director hinted that the coach had told management that his main problem was that the playing body had consistently failed to play to his instructions on the field of play and that with the latest revelation management was brainstorming with the technical team to overcome those challenges. He appealed to the supporters to exercise restraint and be supportive of moves by management to build Kotoko into a winsome side. 13 Jan. 09