Dr Prosper Narteh Ogum

In a little over a month, the 2023/24 Ghana Premier League (GPL) will kick off at various centres.

Preparations towards the big kick off has seen a num­ber of clubs getting busy with pre-season activities, rang­ing from player recruitment, signing new coaches, engaging in friendly matches among others, all in a bid to strength­en the teams for another long season.

The objectives, howev­er, varies from one club to the other; reflecting in the pre-season activities the clubs are engaged in.

New entrants like Tano Bofoakwa, Nations FC and Kpando Heart of Lions would just not be aiming to strength­en the squads to cope with the challenges at the elite level.

They would also be preoc­cupied with ensuring that they have very good and competent technical teams to guide them through the Premier League storm.

As a result, Real Bofo, as Bofoakwa is affectionately known, has signed on a former Ghana international and Asante Kotoko legend, Frimpong Manso; Nations FC, seen as King Faisal’s replacement after their relegation in the last season, also brought on board Kasim Ocansey Mingle to rein­force the technical bench.

But the issue regarding coaching has not just been a concern for the promot­ed clubs. Traditional clubs including Hearts of Oak, Asante Kotoko and Great Olympics are all walking on similar paths.

While Hearts are expect­ed to announce a substantive Gaffer for the season, Kotoko and Olympics have taken the bull by the horn, announcing returns of their former coaches – Dr Prosper Narteh Ogum and Daniel Annor Walker, respec­tively.

Significantly, Dr Ogum and Annor Walker appear to be making similar calls to the clubs’ fans to be united to improve the fortunes of their respective clubs.

Unity among Kotoko fans was a major subject for Dr Ogum at his unveiling this week at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium.

He beseeched the fans to ‘let bygones be bygones’ as the club aimed at reclaiming its top hierarchy in the elite game in Ghana.

Annor Walker has official­ly not been unveiled but has been consistent in his interac­tions with friends in the media about the importance of having a united fan base.

Clearly, it shows the impor­tance of leading a club sup­ported by a united fan base.

That gives the players the peace of mind, confidence and desire to play.

Without it, the club strug­gles as evident among the above mentioned traditional clubs.

Interestingly, fans of Hearts, Kotoko and Olympics appeared the most disunit­ed last season; either having issues with their respective management teams, technical teams and the playing bodies in some instances.

Obviously, it contributed to their poor placement on the league table with Hearts and Olympics even threatened by relegation.

Without doubt, a repeat of such behaviour could further damage the league’s reputa­tion by virtue of having the largest followers who at some stage of the season stayed away from their games as matches were played in empty stadia.

 By Andrew Nortey