All 22 players of Asante Kotoko who made the trip to Sudan ahead of their Champions League clash against Al Hilal Omdurman have refused to train in Sudan as a means of protest against the club over unpaid per diem and winning bonuses.
The Porcupine Warriors are currently camped in Sudan to prepare for the must win game against the Sudanese power house Al Hilal on Wednesday for the return leg of the last preliminary round of the competition.
Ahead of the crucial encounter on Wednesday, January 6, players of Asante Kotoko have unanimously boycotted training in demand for their unpaid per diem and other bonuses.
Asante Kotoko were scheduled to train at the match venue in Sudan on Tuesday morning, but players refused to honour the mandatory training, forcing management into crunch meeting with the players to find solution to the situation. The meeting lasted longer than probably expected, causing the team to miss the time scheduled for training.
Ultimately, ghanasportspage.com gathers that the players have not received their bonuses due them for winning their premier league matches against Legon Cities and Dreams FC. The club has as well not paid the bonuses due the players for qualifying the team ahead of Mauritanian side FC Nouadhibou in the first preliminary round of the Champions League.
Asante Kotoko players are basically unhappy with the club and are highly demotivated going into the crucial game against Al Hilal on Wednesday. For monthly salaries, we gather that the club has paid all salaries with the exception of that of December 2020, the month which ended five days ago.
Al Hilal won the first leg in Accra by 1-0 two weeks ago, and Asante Kotoko are hopeful of staging upset to defy the odds and qualify ahead of the Sudanese giants.
The club’s officials have been engaging the players in camp to bring the situation under control till they play the match and return home.