The 2022/23 Ghana Premier League starts on Friday, 9th September, 2022 to mark another venue for battle amongst eighteen (18) Premier League clubs for a diadem.
After almost a month preparation for the upcoming season among various clubs, all look set for a thrilling season which will span over a ten months period.
A lot will be expected from the clubs to put out a mesmerizing performance to depict some improvement from what we saw last season especially from those who performed below their standard and those that outlived their expectations.
We look at the various clubs in the Ghana Premier League from their preseason programmes, players, technical team and what they are to bring in the forthcoming season.
ASANTE KOTOKO
We start with the defending champions of the league- Asante Kotoko - who just returned from Sudan for their preseason and are keenly preparing for their first leg CAF Champions League game against RC Kadiogo.
Winning the league after eight years was a determined effort from the Porcupine Warriors leaving the 2021/22 season to the rest of the teams with three games to spare, a feet chalked to the surprised of many coming from the backdrop that the team struggled a season earlier and had brought in an entire new team and a new technical team.
Defying the odds to annex the league trophy was a resounding message to local football followers of how mighty the club is and will be in the upcoming season.
PRE-SEASON
A preseason in the United Arab Emirates last season ushered in the team well for the season bridging every loopholes in the team in the Gulf before returning to Ghana.
With the results the team had in Dubai left nothing to be desire for in the team in predicting wonders and finishing well better than they did a season prior.
However, they defied all odds during the season to book a berth in the CAF Champions League by finishing on the summit of the league table.
The Dubai trip inspired the team to have another bite of a cherry in Europe to galvanize themselves for the upcoming season but due to visa related reasons, the team failed to make it to Turkey for their preseason, which meant their game against the champions of Nigeria, Rivers United in Turkey could not come off.
However, a change of plan to Sudan as an alternative came with so much enthusiasm to forfeit everything lost in the Turkey trip.
Not all good came in terms of results from games played but a learning curve for a team which looked an entirely new from those that won the league with friendlies against Al Hilal Omdurman, Simba SC and Al Ahli Khartoum.
Going through a solid training regimen in a foreign country moves away the weak mentality, especially amongst the greenhorns in the squad, of taking time to still within the squad which the the club would not acquiesce to that.
The exposure given to the team during preseason looked a good one and the right tonic to cushion the team into competing well in the CAF Champions League and defending the Ghana Premier League.
PLAYERS
Asante Kotoko have almost an entire new squad within their folds with the coming of new starting team after the club acquired the services of more than ten new players to replace those that are injured and have exited the club.
Most of the players have gotten the opportunity to train with the squad during their preseason tour in Sudan and have had the camaraderie and chemistry required to team up together to achieve a common goal.
Asante Kotoko have lost key players after their triumphant 2021/22 season with the exit of Mudasiru Salisu, Imoro Ibrahim, Ismail Abdul Ganiu, Fabio Gama, Kwame Baah, Evans Adomako, Francis Andy Kumi, among others including other player who will not be available for the start of the season due to injuries.
Strategically, the Management of the club have replaced the lost players with new one like Ernest Osei Poku, Thomas Pele, Steven "Dese" Mukwala, Eric Serge Zeze, Frederick Asare, Sheriff Mohammed, John Tedeku, just to mention some few.
Together with the experienced ones, the club have enough resources at their disposal to select from at all departments to make them a formidable side both domestically and internationally especially with the available of Frank Thierry Mbella Etouga and Georges Rodriguez Mfegue Omgba.
TECHNICAL TEAM
After a successful 2021/22 season under the leadership of Dr. Prosper Narteh Ogum, the club had to part ways mutually the technical team including Dickson David Ocloo and John due to agreement on myriad issues within the club.
Abdulai Gazale, Youth Teams coach, was promoted to the first deputy assistant coach before the appointment of Head Coach Seidu Zerbo of Burkina Faso later last month.
Gazale saw through the club in most part of the team's preseason activities in Ghana before embarking on a tour to Sudan where the Head Coach took charge fully.
In their midst, is newly appointed Video Analyst from Algeria Nazim Mohammed Islam to strengthen the team's technical preparation ahead of games.
PREDICTING CLUB'S FATE
With a poor start to their preseason campaign but a solid finish, the team will likely have a difficult start to the season as the newcomers will have to wait a bit to fill in the shores left in the club.
In the CAF Champions League, crossing the first hurdle against RC Kadiogo is manageable which the team can cope with for now. However, in the second round, the team will need extra work to be able to sail through to the group stages of the CAF Champions for the first time after 16 years.
Defending the Ghana Premier League would be an upheal task to achieve for Asante Kotoko. They would need a flawless start just like they had last season which propelled them to winning the league if they are to win it again on a trot.
In all, Asante Kotoko will likely have a successful season as the new players in the squad will be hungry for success to countenance the demands of the teeming supports.
