We’re still traumatised – Admits Kotoko captain

Kumasi Asante Kotoko captain, Amos Frimpong, says his teammates are still traumatised by last week’s fatal accident and it will be difficult psychologically for the team to return to the pitch as had been predicted by their coach, Steve Polack.
Frimpong told the Graphic Sports in a telephone conversation yesterday, that beyond the bruises and injuries that needed time to heal fully, the team’s psychologist also had a big task to get the players mentally fit before returning to play.
This, he said, would take time for the players and officials to forget the harrowing experience they went through as most of his teammates were still not in the right frame of mind after going through a life-threatening ordeal for the first time in their lives.
The accident occurred at Nkawkaw as Kotoko were returning to Kumasi after losing 0-1 to Inter Allies in a Premier League clash at the El Wak Stadium. It resulted in the death of Kotoko’s assistant equipment officer, Kofi Asare, with several players, as well as Polack and his assistant Godwin Ablordey, sustaining serious injuries.
The coach and the team bus driver, Nana Berkye, underwent surgery at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital and were still on admission at the time of going to press.
Briton Polack told the paper last Sunday, on his sick bed that he expected his side to be fully fit in two weeks to be able to return to the pitch, but Frimpong does not share in his coach’s optimism about a quick return.
“From what happened, I think it will be difficult to return in two weeks because most of the players are down.
“The psychologist has a lot of work to do to get the team mentally fit and back on the pitch since most of the players, including myself, are experiencing this for the first time in our lives,” said the Kotoko captain.
“I have been in constant touch with my colleagues, especially Ashitey Ollenu and Michael Akuffu, who sustained deep cuts, to talk to them and to use what happened as a motivation for our subsequent matches.”
He was grateful to the entire football fraternity and their ardent supporters of Kotoko for the love and affection showed them during the club’s difficult times.