The Group Chief Executive of Databank Group, Kojo Addae-Mensah, has said the Achilles heel of Kumasi Asante Kotoko is their striking department.

According to him, Kotoko have had a good pre-season after winning the G6 tournament with a supposed B-Team. “The A-Team went to Libya and faulted. So, it should tell us that we are not the finished article. There is still work to be done,” he told Class FM in an exclusive interview.

In his opinion, Kotoko lack strikers and goals. “My biggest worry is with the striking department and the lack of goals. We are unable to score goals, I mean, back in the day, even Opoku Nti, who is running the club now would just score three, four at will.”

Mr Addae-Mensah said the likes of Opoku Afriyie, Joe Debrah, Isaac Boakye, Eric Bekoe and other players of their ilk, scored goals with cheeky ease in their day, “… and, so, I don’t understand why we are now unable to develop the striking department.”

“I saw Kweku Boateng at the G6, he is an exciting prospect, I wish him the best of this season. The sad thing is that after one season, you will see him going to [Kazakhstan] or Afghanistan or some ‘stan’ country and go and earn some $300 a month. That is the sad thing”.

Mr Addae-Mensah, who is a football fanatic and a staunch supporter of the Porcupine Warriors, advised players not to rush out of the country in search of better remuneration abroad.

“The players need to take their time, they don’t need to rush out of the country, they need to take their time and develop properly and get a good contract before they go. Baba Rahman played for Kotoko for a while, today he is at Chelsea, he didn’t rush out but he is at Chelsea today,” he cited as an example.

The Databank CEO expressed confidence that Kotoko and the technical team will regain their title from Ashgold when the season kicks off.

“I am expecting us to regain our title from Ashgold. Looking at the team, I think it’s good. Coach Duncan is on to something. Michael Osei is a good support for him, but I pray that the league starts. That’s the most important thing."

In his view, inactivity is the reason for the failure of Ghanaian clubs when they participate in continental competitions.

“The league must start, so, the players must be active. G6 is over, so, now what next?” he asked.

“Here we are playing friendly matches. … It’s not good enough. Then we go to Africa and we fail and complain. It’s because we are not active. Al Ittihad of Libya have beaten Kotoko; that shows that if we go into Africa, we will come out at round one again, we are not there. We need to pick up our level”.