Stephen Amankona joined Asante Kotoko before the start of the 2021/2022 league season from Berekum Chelsea to much hype and fan fare but the player has been anything but a pale shadow of himself.

He has barely impressed in the shirt of Asante Kotoko since joining the club and at times looks like a player short on confidence.

The talents of the 22 year old player has never been in doubt but he is yet to explode at Asante Kotoko with some claiming perhaps its a clear case of a big fish in small pond at Berekum Chelsea and struggling to deal with the pressure at Kotoko.

But his coach thinks same as he has urged the playmaker to up his game to the desired level required at Asante Kotoko if he wants to cement a place in the team.

“Amankona is trying to get to the level we expect him to play, if you don’t play at the level that we all expect you to play, then that is it,” Narteh Ogum said after their game against King Faisal on Sunday.

“This is Kumasi Asante Kotoko and this is a team we compare to the likes of Al Ahly, Zamalek, Esperance, they are playing in the Champions League.

“Look at the quality of players there so if you don’t get to that level, that is it”.

Asante Kotoko defeated King Faisal on Sunday with an expertly taken free kick by Imoro Ibrahim to open a ten point gap on Aduana Stars.