Kotoko To Vent Spleen On RTU

Former Kumasi Asante Kotoko player and coach, Golden Boy Abdul Razak, finds himself in a rare position to plot against his former club on Sunday when he leads Real Tamale United to the Baba Yara Stadium in the final game of the first round matches of the premiership. Razak certainly must be filled with a mixed feeling of nolstagia and anger ahead of this game when he reminisces on events that led to his exit from Kotoko some five years ago. Incidentally, Razak, then playing a similar role as Head Coach of Kumasi Asante Kotoko, had placed the Porcupine Warriors on the same top position on the ladder just as current coach Bashir Hayford has achieved so far for Kotoko. But Razak’s troubles with Kotoko began just when he lost a game. Coincidentally, all these took place under current CEO, Sylvester Owusu-Asare. But by a bizarre twist of events Razak fell out of favour with his boss and a wave of acrimony still rages between the two. Indeed, Razak betrayed a deep-seated hatred he had for the current management when during a time that Kotoko badly needed a technical hand to steer the team from troubled waters, he stated unequivocably that he was not prepared for the job if the current management remained in charge. Sunday’s battle at the Baba Yara Stadium will certainly be a personal moment for Razak to unleash the bitter lesson he has reserved for Kotoko since the turbulent days with his former club. But it is not clear whether the anger and the quest of one man will be enough to burst the bubble of Kotoko whose free-scoring form has been restrained in their last two outings against arch rivals Accra Hearts of Oak and Berekum Arsenal in Accra and Berekum respectively. Last year, RTU, even in a relatively hopeless stage, managed to beat Kotoko at Cape Coast and there must be a whiff of confidence in their camp following the revival which Razak seems to have brought to their camp. But at the Baba Yara, RTU need more than sheer determination to put the brakes on Eric Bekoe, Kwabena Yaro, Nii Adjei, Harrison Afful and Jordan Opoku. At the Obuasi Len Clay Stadium, Ashgold will certainly erase the gloom of last Wednesday when they lost to Liberty as they look set to beat Kessben. In another game, Hearts of Oak, despite their superb show of resilience against Kotoko, have a tough day on hand against Sportive at Tema. In the rest of the pairings, Zaytuna play Arsenals at El Wak, All Stars host Lions at Wa, Faisal play as guests to All Blacks at Swedru, Hasaacas welcome Liberty to the Sekondi Stadium at Essipong with Olympics playing host to Tema Youth at the Ohene Djan Stadium.