Kumasi Asante Kotoko Head Coach, Dr Prosper NartehOgum, has asked followers of the club not to lose confidence in the team after recording unimpressive outcomes in their opening games of the 2023/24 bePawa Ghana Premier League.
According to him, the season was a long one and would not be proper to judge the team based on result of two matches out of 34.
He said this after recording a first defeat in the two-week old competition in the hands of Bibiani Gold Stars on Saturday.
Prince Owusu Kwabena put the host ahead but Sheriff Mohammed drew parity for Kotoko before Eric Bosumtwi sealed the win in the 73rd minute.
Kotoko are perched at the bottom ranks of the table with just a point from a possible six.
Coach Ogum, who admitted that the result was not what the fans want,urged them not to give up on the team because better days would follow.
Kotoko’s defeat followed an opening day draw with Kpando Heart of Lions; a game the Porcupine Warriors escaped defeat by a hair’s breadth following a misjudgment on the part of officials who ruled out a decent goal as offside.
Considering the struggles they went through last season, leading to the dissolution of the old board, management and technical team of the club, fans had high expectations about the second coming of Coach Ogum.
But a point from possible six is certainly not what the Porcupine Warriors fans wanted; a situation Coach Ogum conceded and has asked the fans to be positive and expect good things to happen this season.
Kotoko would play at home to Karela United on Sunday, a game Coach Ogum expects to see the fans in their numbers as they hope to pull their first win of the new campaign.
“I know that for Kotoko, earning just a point from two games is not something they expect. It is not what we set out to achieve but in football, outcomes are always not what you plan for so let’s put that behind and prepare to play our roles to claim all points against them.”
“You could see after the whistle their heads were up, there’s nothing like a drop in confidence. We looked very confident, we are motivated. We’ve come, we did our best but we lost but I don’t think we disgraced ourselves,” he said after the game.
Coach Ogum advised the supporters to be at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium in their numbers to cheer the team on to victory.
BY TIMES SPORTS REPORTER
