Stephen Amankona’s emotional outburst after Asante Kotoko won the GPL

The 23-year-old speedster was featured in a few games this season for the Porcupines despite his remarkable days with Berekum Chelsea in the Ghana Premier League 2020/21 season where he netted 10 goals in 28 matches before joining Asante Kotoko.

He became the 12th signing of the Porcupine Warriors before the start of the just-ended season.

Amankona was also outstanding for Chelsea, having helped them to reach the semi-finals of the FA Cup.

The former Chelsea captain aimed to have enough playing time following his arrival but has not gotten game time under Prosper Narteh Ogum, even after recovering from an injury, and these have been bad days in his career.

Although there’s no questioning the talent the player possesses, his light is yet to shine on the Porcupines team.

A short-term injury prevented him from gathering momentum at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium and he was not able to find consistency on the field last season.

However, the player is in the early days of his career but he is worried about the situation at Asante Kotoko.

The ‘unhappy’ midfielder claimed while speaking to Ghanasportspage.com, “My parents are always unhappy when I don’t play. When there is an inter-club competition in our town and I don’t participate many people from my community will not go and watch the game. I feel so bad about the Kotoko situation, it always affects me. I am not happy but there’s nothing I can do.

“As a player whenever you are playing, whether a small club or a big club you have to prove that you are good. In Ghana Kotoko and Hearts are the big clubs, and every player looks up to them as well as Real Madrid, Manchester United, Barcelona, etc but your performance will determine your next destination

“You can’t say you are playing for this team forever but when you improve your performance the big clubs will come after you. That’s how it is and every player wants to play for a big club but after checking the plans I had before joining Kotoko and it has happened like this, I feel bad and it has affected me.

“I can’t decide on the coach. I don’t know what is going on. As a player, you can’t react to certain things but you can see that what the person is doing is not good and he is aware of it but never mind, he won’t listen to your advice but when you react they will say you don’t respect. I feel so bad because I wanted to do something for Kotoko.

“Although I’ve won the league I would be happy if I was able to play for people to see and say yes to it. We went to WAFA and Dormaa to break some records but people from my community came in numbers just because of me. Some of them support other clubs but they came because of me and as a Kotoko player. It has affected me.

“For now we are on break. All matters belong to my manager. He will decide. I will listen to his instructions. I feel so bad because I couldn’t fulfill what I planned for Kotoko.

“The playing time is the major thing. The feeling will be different if I have had enough playing time with the number of eight or eleven goals. It will be great and based on that they will always praise or mention Amankona’s name positively.”

Amankona, 23, played only twelve (12) games for the league champions this season in the Ghana Premier League. He aimed to have enough playing time last season.

Meanwhile, the Porcupine Warriors boss in his recent post-match remarks shed light on why the forward is not getting playing time amid injuries to other players. Ogum insisted that the 23-year-old player will not play for the club until he improves his performance. Despite injuries to Dickson Afoakwa, Clinton Opoku, and Isaac Oppong, Amankona struggled with the game time as Ogum rather preferred to use makeshift players.

Amankona expressed worries over the situation at the club and confirmed to Ghanasportspage.com in his previous interview that he has no injury as fans may perceive. ”I have no injury although I had a problem with my neck it is okay for now. I twisted it during a match but I am okay and I’ve been training with it. Everything is fine. I am fully fit.”