The management of Kotoko has written to the Ghana Football Association (GFA) expressing the club’s displeasure with the venue for the MTN FA Cup round of 32 match against Real 24 Hours FC of Tumu.
The game is scheduled for this weekend. In a letter signed by General Manager, Opoku Nti, management made it clear that, Kotoko won’t play at the venue.
“We were initially informed that, the aforementioned match was to be played in Wa only to learn later that, the match has been moved to Tumu after the Upper West Regional Football Association (RFA) Chairman inspected the venue” said portions of management’s letter to the GFA.
“Furthermore, the venue cannot be passed for this match without recourse to the Club Licensing Board. Therefore Kumasi Asante Kotoko will not play at that venue and in consequence brings its decision to the notice of the FA” added the letter dated April 12, 2016.
Kotoko, have in two previous FA Cup competitions, played at centres which have terrible playing surface. On December 24, 2013, the Porcupines beat Waiga United 4-0 on an undulating, dusty pitch at Bolgatanga in the Upper East Region.
On March 25, 2015, the Porcupines again trekked to Bolgatanga to play Paga Crocodiles on the same uneven field. They won 4-1. This time, management insists that, the team won’t play at any venue that doesn’t satisfy the demands of the Club Licensing Board.
Management also argues that, the club’s last game in the FA Cup against AK Shion was played at the Coronation Park, Sunyani, becasue the Chiraa Park, where Shion plays didn’t meet the standards of the Club Licensing Board.
The club’s managers wonder why the same principle can’t be applied concerning the upcoming game.
asantekotokosc.com
