C.K Akonnor have been in charge of Asante Kotoko since October 2018 and after several friendly matches and two competitive games, we are beginning to have an idea about what his best starting eleven is.
From the side that drew 0-0 against Kariobangi Sharks on December 15 in Kasarani, nine players maintained their positions in the return home leg in Kumasi which the Porcupine Warriors won 2-1 to advance to the next stage of the Confederation Cup.
Asante Kotoko have been drawn against Cameroon’s Coton Sport de Garoua in the Play-off round.
Those nine were goalkeeper Felix Annan, Augustine Sefah, Ismail Ganiyu, Agyemang Badu, Amos Frimpong, Emmanuel Gyamfi, Jordan Opoku, Richard Senanu and Maxwell Baakoh. Songne Yacouba – who would have started the first leg if fully fit – coming in for Naby Keita and Abdul Fatawu Safiu for Martin Antwi were the only changes Akonnor effected.
From majority of their games, it is quiet obvious one area the former Ashanti Gold trainer has an easy choice to make is the back Five. Felix, Sefah, Ganiyu, Badu and Amos except that the first half of the Kotoko 2 Kariobangi Sharks 1 game showed the left back – where the captain Amos wast stationed – was the weakest link in the Kotoko defence as the former B.A Stars defender struggle to deal with the pacy Harrison Mwendwa. Daniel Darkwah is a better option but the injuries have kept him out for a long time whilst Abass Mohammed failed to grab the opportunity.
It is the middle of the park that the coach has many options to select from. The veteran Jordan Opoku got the nod to parter the young midfielder Richard Senanu – one of the good legacies of Paa Kwesi Fabin – but his shocking malaise in the second leg against the Kenyans in Kumasi means he will struggle to keep a starting position in subsequent games. This is not judging the player on the basis of just one bad game considering the fact that he did better in the previous leg but Akonnor was honest in his post-game presser that his team must improve particularly in midfield and Jordan appears the most likely to suffer should the coach decide to rotate. This is where Umar Basiru, Kwame Bonsu and Daniel Nii Adjei have chance to get into the team. Basiru for instance has the qualities to excel in that role if only Akonnor will trust him with consecutive games to find settle.
Wingers Maxwell Baakoh and Emmanuel Gyamfi will continue to grace Akonnor’s starting team sheet as long as they follow his instructions.
In the area of attack the only uncountable is Yacouba. He offers the team that fear factor and whenever he is on the starting line-up, opponents cannot sleep. From 2018, the Burkinabe is leading Asante Kotoko in competitive goals alongside Frederick Boateng and Amos Frimpong (3 each).
Akonnor’s headache however will is centered around who to partner the Burkinabe with up front. To give Keita or Antwi a second chance or go by the coaching mantra ” Do not change a winning formation”.
For his performance and sublime finish in the 2-1 Kariobangi Sharks win on December 22, Fatawu has won the right to expect a starting place on C.K Akonnor’s next team and this is a fair expectation. The former Eleven Wonders striker however still needs to prove he is an important player by consistently producing good performances in the big games as he did in his last outing.
What happens to Obed Owusu, Frederick Boateng? It is clear they are not in the big plans of the coach but Akonnor still needs them to keep is squad size big.
Asante Kotoko’s ideal starting eleven:
GK Felix Annan.
Defenders: Amos Frimpong. Ismail Ganiyu. Agyemang Badu. Daniel Darkwah
Midfielders: Emmanuel Gyamfi. Umar Basiru. Richard Senanu. Maxwell Baakoh
Strikers: Abdul Fatawu Safiu. Songne Yacouba
Gariba.
