Ghana Premier League (GPL) clubs have kicked into motion pre-season activities after a little over a month rest following the completion of the 2022/23 football season won by Medeama.
And with a September 15-18 date set for the commencement of the 2023/24 campaign, a number of the clubs have taken the activities to a new level by engaging in series of friendly matches.
The arrival and departure of players meant that officials have been busy conducting medicals for players while coaches get busy with players on beach agility workouts, plyometric training and ball work, all in a bid to fine-tune body and mind for a hectic season.
Currently, traditional clubs like Hearts and Kotoko appear to be the clubs that have supervised the highest number of departures.
The Phobians have lost Coach David Marvin Ocloo to rivals Kotoko, Konadu Yiadom to Ukraine side Kryvbas FC, while Robert Addo Sowah, Richmond Aryee, Suraj Seidu, Caleb Amankwah and Gladson Awako are all reported to be on their way out.
Kotoko will be without Captain Richard Boadu who signed for Libyan side, Al Ahly SC, Emmanuel Sarkodie who has joined Nations FC and others yet to be confirmed by management.
Once again, the exodus bandwagon will take its toll as some top players quit their respective teams for greener pastures.
Notable among them are Bechem United’s Hafiz Konkoni who has joined Young Africans of Tanzania, Accra Lions forward, Bassit Seidu, to Sudanese club side, Al Hilal, Aduana FC midfielder, Kwame Adom Frimpong, for Saint George SC of Ethiopia and Nsoatreman FC forward, Samuel Ofori, joining Jordan Side, Al-Jalil SC.
The Times Sports visits to some of the club bases have shown that some clubs would have more work to do than others due to changes in squads and officials.
The checks indicate that clubs like Hearts of Oak, Asante Kotoko, Great Olympics, Legon Cities, Medeama SC, Aduana Stars, Accra Lions and Nations FC were worse affected as far as changes in coaching staff were concerned.
The Times Sports also observed that virtually all the 18 clubs in the league have new personnel in their ranks, for which reason they would have a short time for integration.
Movement of coaches is also on the high.
Some have moved to take up bigger challenges with others staging returns to clubs they worked for in the previous season.
Daniel Annor Walker’s return to Great Olympics from Samartex FC is an example of the latter scenario.
He is expected to begin pre-season training with the team this week in Sege, in the Greater Accra region, to prepare the team for the season.
Speaking with the Times Sports, he discussed the importance of pre-season in building the fitness, formation and tactical readiness for the season.
“Pre-season is where you practice with your players the formations for the season. You plot with them, tactics and philosophy. You must make them understand your plans for both home and away games, as well as work on the fitness of the playing body.”
“We’ll engage in a few friendly matches to try our plans. That, notwithstanding, I take the outcomes of those matches seriously so I go for tough oppositions. They may be friendly matches but I make sure I get an opposition that would test my team.”
The newly appointed Head Coach of returnees, Bofoakwa Tano, Stephen Frimpong Manso, is also expected to begin pre-season with the team in Obuasi this week and told the Times Sports that pre-season is the foundation for a football team.
“If you don’t have the foundation, the team would be hanging and lose its base. Without pre-season, there would be lots of problems, fitness of the players would be called to question and can also lead to injuries.”
He corroborated Annor Walker’s assertion of friendly games, stating that, “We use them to plot our tactics and sharpen the rough edges of the team; winning is not the ultimate, however, it can boost the morale of the players and team.”
Annor Walker’s replacement at Samartex FC, Coach Nurudeen Amadu, indicated the team’s readiness for their second season which they hope to be better than their maiden year in the nation’s elite.
“I am happy to start early pre-season with the boys. Our fans are very expectant ahead of the season. We’re working very hard to polish up and get our strikers ready to bag in the goals for the club.”
Defending league champions, Medeama SC, and FA Cup champions, Dreams FC, who will be playing in the CAF Champions League and Confederation Cup, have long started preparations for the various assignments in Cape Coast and Accra, respectively.
Clubs including Bechem United, Nsoatreman FC, Legon Cities, and Nations FC have started training under new coaches, Bismark Kobi Mensah, Maxwell Konadu, Samuel Paa Kwesi Fabin, and Kasim Mingle Ocansey, respectively.
Others like Michael Osei, Christopher Ennin, Ibrahim Tanko Shaibu, Abdul Mumin Abdulai, Tanko Ibrahim, and Fatawu Salifu are preparing with Bibiani Gold Stars, Berekum Chelsea, Karela United, Real Tamale United, Accra Lions, and Kpando Heart of Lions, respectively, ahead of the big kick-off.
Former league winners, Hearts of Oak and Aduana Stars, are yet to appoint head coaches for their sides, although they have started their pre-season workouts, while Asante Kotoko are expected to regroup this week to begin pre-season under returnee coach, Dr Prosper Narteh Ogum.
BY RAYMOND ACKUMEY
