Former captain of Asante Kotoko Joseph Hendricks has descended heavily on the current squad, describing them as too small to play for such a big club.
He opines that most of these current players have no special reason for signing to play for the Porcupine Warriors and are only there because they have heard things like Kotoko supporters give out presents.
Speaking exclusively in an interview on Agoro Fie on Onua TV on Friday, April 12, the former Black Stars defender described the current players as “social media” players.
He said every footballer worth their salt should have a pre-season form, off-season form and in-season form.
“I speak from experience,” he told host Alfred Takyi Mensah.
“We have season character and pre-season character. The players do not know there is off-season, when they have to know what to do.”
He pointed out: “For any good footballer what you do off-season cannot be done during the season. But now almost all of them are on social media.”
He said nothing pushes the current players and when asked what informed them to sign for the club, “they say Kotoko is a big club. When you go to town, supporters will shower you with gifts”.
But the former captain warned that the supporters’ gifts do not come on a silver platter and that each player must work for it.
The current crop of players have come under attack for the poor form of the team.
Though some are blaming the situation on the coach, others say the players are not mature enough to play for the record Ghana Premier League champions.
Joe Hendricks says the players must learn the tradition and culture of the club, recalling what he once heard from the life patron of the club, Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II.
“Otumfuo always said that if you are serving Kotoko, you have to do it well, so life after football, the Kotoko spirit follows you.”
