Former Asante Kotoko daredevil striker, Opoku Afriyie has been appointed the team manager of the club.

Popularly known as Bayie during his playing days, Opoku Afriyie replaces long-serving Alhaji Yahaya Gibrine who has been the team manager for the past three years.

Afriyie's appointment follows the 6-month suspension plus 1 million cedis fine slapped on his immediate predecessor for attacking a match official after the second round league match between Maxbees and Kotoko at Koforidua.

Opoku Afriyie, a goal machine in his hey days, has been following the club's fortunes closely in recent years, and last year during Kotoko's Cup Winners campaign, he led a group of past players of the club to present gifts to the team as a way of boosting their morale.

At the peak of his career, Opoku Afriyie was thought to have committed a sacrilegious offence by Kotoko supporters when he crossed carpet to the fold of traditional rivals, Accra Hearts of Oak where he brought his sparkling career to an end.

Alhaji Yahaya on his part has served Kotoko in various capacities since 1955 and has seen managements come and go.

He was on Monday served a letter reminding him of the punitive measure handed him by the FA and asked to narrow his involvement with the club to daily attendance at the club's secretariat. He was also to hand over all club equipment and property in his possession.

Yahaya, affectionately called Roberto Carlos by the playing body of Kumasi Asante Kotoko, was born in Kumasi and was appointed in 1964 as team masseur and later as team manager in 1980 and Deputy Director of Operations in 1983.