Former Asante Kotoko star Eric Bekoe is the latest to advise the club against continental inter-club football next season.
The Porcupine Warriors are set to represent Ghana in the Caf Champions League for the second year running after getting the nod from the Football Association (GFA) Executive Council following the premature termination of the Premier League.
Under normal circumstances, the domestic league winners represent Ghana in the Champions League.
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“Kotoko should not accept the opportunity to compete in Africa next season to waste money,” Bekoe, who gained prominence with Kotoko in winning the 2007-08 Premier League title and top scorer award, told Opemsuo FM.
“The club is not well-prepared to get a group stage birth which of course will be a waste of resources.
“The Board and the technical team should work fervently to shape the club before they will resolve to compete in Africa.
“For a team to perform majestically in Africa, it comes with a quality crop of players. This Kotoko team is low quality.”
Kotoko’s campaign in the Champions League in 2019-20 ended disappointingly as they suffered a first-round elimination at the hands of Tunisian fold Etoile du Sahel.
Ashanti Gold are the other beneficiary of the season cancellation as they have been given the green light to represent Ghana in the Caf Confederation Cup.
“Allow them to go and disgrace themselves,” King Faisal president Alhaji Karim Grunsah told Kumasi FM.
“They represented the country during the era of the Normalization Committee but brought nothing better but shame.
“No one can seize them from participating once they have their money but they should be mindful, especially with their gate proceeds [now unavailable]. Some management members capitalize on that to dupe the club.
“Nonetheless, we [Ghana] cannot waste our slot hence they can keep on trying [to make an impression in Africa]. It may be better for them someday.”
Kotoko, 19-time Premier League winners, are eyeing their first continental title since 1983. They last made the group stage of the Champions League in 2006.
The Porcupine Warriors’ best continental campaign in recent times came in the 2004 Confederation Cup where they reached the final and lost to country rivals Hearts of Oak in the penalty shoot-out.
Source: goal.com
