Bibiani Gold Stars head coach Frimpong Manso insists his side has shed the label of outsiders in the Ghana Premier League, declaring that last season’s champions now stand shoulder to shoulder with the country’s most established clubs.
Gold Stars fell narrowly in the Champion of Champions final, as they were stunned 1-0 by Asante Kotoko at Duns Park on Sunday thanks to a Musa Hamzata close-range finish.
But despite the defeat, Manso believes the Miners’ recent achievements mark a turning point in the club’s identity.
“We don’t see ourselves as minors now, we also see ourselves as one of the big guys,” Manso said. “We’ve won the league and played against all those teams.”
Gold Stars stunned the Ghanaian football landscape last season by clinching their maiden Premier League title, finishing ahead of Heart of Lions, Asante Kotoko and Hearts of Oak. They open their title defence later this month with a trip to Bechem United before embarking on their maiden CAF Champions League campaign, beginning with a preliminary-round clash against Algerian giants JS Kabylie.
The Miners rise has been one of the stories of Ghanaian football in recent years, with Manso determined that their league triumph will serve as the foundation for a long-term presence at the top of the game.
By: Pascal Amoah
