Herbert Mensah

A former board chairman of football club, Kumasi Asante Kotoko, Herbert Mensah says the Ashanti regional football club is the biggest in Ghana.

“Kotoko is the biggest club in Ghana. Their expectations are always high; their supporters are the largest group. They need quick and early results…” said the man who once managed the porcupine warriors.

Speaking in an exclusive interview on Xfm 95.1 a privately owned commercial radio station, Mr Mensah who seemed delighted with Kotoko’s winning form, more especially, over their arch-rivals, Accra Hearts of Oak over the weekend, insisted the Porcupine Warriors remain the strongest team to beat in Ghana.

“I can only say I am very happy for the boys. Congratulations to all of them for the great results”.

The man whose three-year tenure as Kotoko board chairman saw a total overhaul of Kotoko football club, said even though the club seem to have lost out in winning the league this season, it has the potential of winning in subsequent leagues.

“It was a mach Kotoko played very well. It is very important that they won. They seem to be doing a lot better these days… You know football these days is very unpredictable. It is some few games to the end of the league. They can win the league- I think not this year. But at least, they are back on course, and they are winning; that is very important.”

Nonetheless, Herbert Mensah bemoaned the unprofessional manner in which football in Ghana is run, which he said has resulted in clubs in Ghana having to “get involved in all the things that give Ghana football a bad name”.

He lamented, “there are a lot of challenges. I think the structure of Ghana football is not very good. I always bemoan the fact that it should be more professional. There should be greater partnership with corporate Ghana to raise funds and to inject capital so the clubs become more self reliance”, adding, “when this possibly happens, then you will have a lot more transparency, you will have teams playing and you will see better quality, better development of youth academics, teams not having to sell matches, etc”

Story by Abena Asiedua Tenkorang/ Xfm 95.1/ Accra/ Ghana