Chairman of Asante Kotoko SC’s Interim Management Committee (IMC), Nana Apinkra, has delivered a strong and timely message to the club’s playing body following the resignation of head coach Abdul Karim Zito.
The Porcupine Warriors have just four days to regroup and prepare for their highly anticipated Ghana Premier League showdown against arch-rivals Accra Hearts of Oak SC, scheduled for Sunday at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium in Kumasi. The Super Clash will be Kotoko’s first match since the club officially parted ways with Zito, meaning the team will head into the fixture without a substantive head coach.
Kotoko confirmed Zito’s departure on Monday evening after formally accepting his resignation letter, bringing an end to his stint at the club.
A day after the announcement, Nana Apinkra visited the squad at their training base, the Adako Jachie Complex, where he urged players to put recent events behind them and focus fully on the task ahead. He stressed that the team must rise above distractions and take responsibility for restoring the club’s pride.
According to the IMC chairman, Kotoko can no longer hide behind excuses and must channel their energy into redeeming their image on the pitch.
“We can’t afford further excuses. It’s redemption time. Let’s leave the past behind and focus on what lies ahead. We must redeem ourselves on Sunday,” Apinkra told the players.
Asante Kotoko will face Hearts of Oak in the Week 22 fixture of the Ghana Premier League, a rivalry that has spanned decades and remains one of the most fiercely contested encounters in Ghanaian football.
Kotoko currently sit fifth on the league table with 35 points, just one point behind Hearts of Oak, who have 36, and eight points adrift of league leaders Medeama SC, making Sunday’s clash crucial both for bragging rights and the title chase.
