Football

Taking on the captaincy role comes with immense pressure- Kotoko’s new captain

By Emmanuel Austin Baah
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Newly appointed Asante Kotoko captain Gilbani Samba O’niel has admitted that taking on the captaincy role comes with immense pressure, but remains confident in his leadership qualities to guide the team towards success.

The Porcupine Warriors are set to represent Ghana in the 2025/26 CAF Confederation Cup, having secured their place by defeating Golden Kick FC 2-1 in the MTN FA Cup final at the University of Ghana Stadium in Legon.

Speaking to the club’s media team, O’niel acknowledged the high expectations of the club’s passionate fanbase and assured that he is ready to lead by example, inspire his teammates, and work relentlessly to meet the club’s ambitions.

 

I was having pressure for the first time ,but i thank God everything is going the good way .

I know a lot of things is waiting for us. And our supporters are waiting for us too.

Sometimes I dont need to talk , I just need to do ,they will know our leader is doing this and we have to do this .

So this season we need to work extra hard for the three competitons.

Since my first day here in kumasi ,they are always with me so I wish we continue like that. They should continue to support me .

Gilbani, who joined Kotoko in the 2023/24 season, quickly established himself as a commanding presence in the heart of the defence. His consistency and leadership both on and off the pitch earned him the armband following the departure of former captain Richmond Lamptey.

Kotoko will begin their Confederation Cup journey in the preliminary round, with fixtures expected to kick off in August. The club is currently in pre-season, preparing under new head coach Abdul Karim zito, who is expected to rebuild the squad for continental and domestic success.

Author

  • My name is Emmanuel Austin Baah, professionally known as “Okocha”. I am a seasoned Ghanaian journalist, broadcaster and football commentator from Senya Bereku in the Central Region. My work reflects a strong commitment to factual reporting, ethical journalism and the continuous promotion of Ghanaian sports.

    I am currently pursuing my studies at Cape Coast Technical University, building on a solid foundation of media practice and communication. I previously served as a sports producer at Radio Gold (90.5) and Montie FM (100.1) in Accra, where I was actively involved in editorial planning, programme production, live commentary and in-depth sports analysis.

    Presently, I am a Senior Writer at SportsNetGhana.com, a role in which I produce well-researched features, match reports, athlete profiles and analytical pieces. My work consistently highlights emerging talents, captures key sporting developments and contributes to shaping informed sports discourse in Ghana.

    Over the course of my career, I have covered numerous major sporting events both locally and internationally. Among these, the highlight remains my coverage of the 2014 FIFA World Cup, a significant milestone that strengthened my expertise in global football reporting and enhanced my understanding of international sports dynamics.

    I am widely recognised for my clarity of analysis, engaging commentary style and strong command of both local and global football trends. Beyond the newsroom, I participate in community initiatives aimed at developing young sports journalists and promoting youth engagement in sports.

    For professional engagements, media collaborations or enquiries, please contact me on 0265284330.

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Emmanuel Austin Baah 1201 posts 1 comments

My name is Emmanuel Austin Baah, professionally known as “Okocha”. I am a seasoned Ghanaian journalist, broadcaster and football commentator from Senya Bereku in the Central Region. My work reflects a strong commitment to factual reporting, ethical journalism and the continuous promotion of Ghanaian sports.

I am currently pursuing my studies at Cape Coast Technical University, building on a solid foundation of media practice and communication. I previously served as a sports producer at Radio Gold (90.5) and Montie FM (100.1) in Accra, where I was actively involved in editorial planning, programme production, live commentary and in-depth sports analysis.

Presently, I am a Senior Writer at SportsNetGhana.com, a role in which I produce well-researched features, match reports, athlete profiles and analytical pieces. My work consistently highlights emerging talents, captures key sporting developments and contributes to shaping informed sports discourse in Ghana.

Over the course of my career, I have covered numerous major sporting events both locally and internationally. Among these, the highlight remains my coverage of the 2014 FIFA World Cup, a significant milestone that strengthened my expertise in global football reporting and enhanced my understanding of international sports dynamics.

I am widely recognised for my clarity of analysis, engaging commentary style and strong command of both local and global football trends. Beyond the newsroom, I participate in community initiatives aimed at developing young sports journalists and promoting youth engagement in sports.

For professional engagements, media collaborations or enquiries, please contact me on 0265284330.

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