Sports
What Nana Yaw Amponsah did to get Kotoko job
It has been revealed that former Ghana Football Association (GFA) Vice President, George Afriyie was considered for the Asante Kotoko Chief Executive Officer job.
However, the position went to Nana Yaw Amponsah because he impressed the Board of Directors during his interview. According to the spokesman of the Kotoko board, Kwadwo Boateng Genfi, the club shortlisted George Afriyie and Nana Yaw Amponsah for the position.Nana Yaw Amponsah was first to appear before the board and he was so impressive that they took a decision to cancel Afriyie’s interview.The 12-member board was convinced Nana Yaw Amponsah was the right man for the job, hence decided to hand him a three-year contract.”What happened was that we met a few people and shortlisted two people. But later, one of them didn’t show much interest but we had given them an appointment for an interview to be conducted on the same day: one in the morning, one in the afternoon.”Nana Yaw came in the morning and he was so impressive that even though Manhyia had tasked us to do more head-hunting, we felt that he was the one we were looking for,” he pointed out.”We fell in love with him at the interview; he was seriously and highly impressive. Even the presentation he did during the interview was such that we decided not to bother ourselves to call any more people for interviews in order not to waste our time and that of those individuals.”According to Mr Genfi the board voted unanimously in Mr Amponsah’s favour.”It was unanimous – 12-0 – everyone on the board voted for him. It was only the voting for the timing of the announcement that was 11-1 because one person voted against it,” he noted.”When we decided on Nana Yaw, I personally called the other person (George Afriyie) to inform him about it.”I spoke with him personally, and honestly I was so amazed at his level of confidence. He is a fantastic gentleman.””He knows the inside-out of the game and I think he would also have been good but when we interviewed Nana Yaw we were satisfied with his performance,” Mr Genfi stated.”So it wasn’t a matter of rejection. No. We needed only one person and after Nana Yaw’s interview we decided not to go any further,” he emphasised.-Ghanaweb
Sports
Black Starlets arrives in Morocco on U-17 AFCON mission …FA boss charges team to make Ghana proud
The Black Starlets, the national U-17 male team, have safely arrived in Casablanca ahead of the 2026 U-17 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
The team departed Accra on Wednesday, travelling with a 35-man contingent made up of 21 players and 14 officials, all focused on delivering a strong campaign on the continental stage.
They completed a smooth five-hour flight to Morocco, where final preparations will continue before the tournament kicks off.
The technical team is expected to fine-tune tactics and build cohesion among the squad as they gear up for the competition.
The Ghana Football Association (GFA) President, Mr Kurt Edwin Simeon-Okraku, was present at the Accra International Airport to bid farewell to the team.
Speaking during a brief farewell at the Airport, the FA President urged the team to carry a ‘never say die’ spirit into the competition.
President Simeon-Okraku emphasised the importance of mental strength and unity, particularly in difficult moments during matches. His message was inspired by the team’s recent friendly encounters against Cote d’Ivoire, where they bounced back strongly after an initial defeat.
“I’m very happy that when you lost to Cote d’Ivoire in your first game during your friendly matches, you were able to bounce back—not only to dominate but to outscore them in the second game,” he said. “I read a lot of meaning into that, and I want all of you to keep that in your heads—that, it’s not over until it’s all over,” he added.
The FA president stressed that the ability to respond positively to setbacks would be crucial in a tournament as competitive as the AFCON.
He encouraged the players to stay united and support one another when the pressure intensifies on the continental stage.
“When the chips are down, that’s when we need to hold each other together,” Okraku added. “So go out there and make Ghana proud.”
Ghana will compete in Group D alongside Algeria, Senegal, and South Africa, with their opening match scheduled for Thursday, May 14.
Twenty-three (23) players have been called up for this month’s international friendly against Mexico.
The squad is composed of star players from the domestic league and European leagues who are closely monitored by Coach Carlos Queiroz, as well as U-23 players who will soon represent Ghana in the upcoming Olympic Games qualifiers.
Notable names include Majeed Ashimeru, Felix Afena-Gyan, Razak Simpson, and Birmingham City’s Ibrahim Osman.
Ashimeru returns to action after a long spell on the sidelines due to a muscle injury that limited his appearances at both club and national level.
Also in the team is Felix Afena-Gyan, whose last appearance for Ghana was in May last year when he featured against Trinidad and Tobago in the Unity Cup in London.
Barcelona B’s Abdul Aziz Issah, Ebenezer Annan of AS Saint-Étienne, Ibrahim Osman of Birmingham City, and Paul Reverson of Ajax FC have also been included in the squad.
Midfielder Salim Adams, one of the key players for Ghana Premier League leaders Medeama SC, leads the group of home-based players.
Others are Heart of Lions’ Ebenezer Abban, Ebenezer Adade of Dreams FC, and Nations FC captain Razak Simpson. Ghana will travel to Mexico for the international friendly on Friday, May 22, 2026.
