The word change is a very powerful entity in the political vocabulary in my country, Ghana.

In the 2001 general election, the then opposition New Patriotic Party won the polls with the popular slogan of “positive change”. Eight years later the opposition National Democratic Congress adopted the slogan “Change for a better Ghana” and they won albeit narrowly. Surely there must be something magical about this word change.

Perhaps it was this magic word that inspired the owner of Kumasi Asante Kotoko, arguably the most famous football club in the country, to call for a change in the management structure of the club that was losing matches at such an alarming rate it actually threatened the very existence of the club

The Sylvester Asare Owusu led management team’s open admission at an inquisition by the Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu, that they had failed to work as a united group and therefore incapable of reversing the dwindling fortunes of the club left no choice for the owner of the club to sack them.

The new management comprising former Kotoko national stars, Osei Kofi, Opoku Afriyie, Sarfo Gyamfi; former Police officer Helena Cobbina and business magnate Alhaji Njie have magnificently backed new coach Herbert Addo to change the team into a real formidable force the club is noted for

In nine premier league matches since the new management took office, Kotoko have won seven with two draws. They have in the process bagged 23 points from a possible 27 points build up and with only two matches to end the league Kotoko now share the top spot with Accra Hearts of Oak by superior goal difference.

The Kotoko renaissance started on May 24 2009, the fifth week of the second round of the league after suffering three defeats and one draw in the first four matches. Kotoko had lost 2-1 to All Blacks at Swedru, drawn 1-1 with Kessben at home, thrashed 3-1 by Arsenal at Berekum and lost 1-0 at home to Heart of Lions when the change was made.

In his very first assignment in Sekondi, Coach Herbert Addo survived an early threat by Eleven Wise to win 2-1.then followed it up with two remarkable wins against Tema Youth in Kumasi and 1-0 over close rivals, Hearts of Oak in Accra. After a 1-1 away tussle with Real Tamale United, Kotoko recorded three straight narrow 1-0 victories over Wa All Stars, Berekum Chelsea and Sporting Mirren. At this stage they remarkably improved their placing in the league ladder.

When Liberty Professionals stretched Kotoko to a 3-3 draw in Accra after taking a comfortable 2-0 half time lead, many thought Kotoko might have lost their firepower but they bounced back to beat Sekondi Hasaacas 1-0 in a tense battle in Kumasi to top the table.

The penultimate matches will provide a clue to the probable league champions as the table toppers both have tricky away fixtures. Kotoko travel to Obuasi to face relegation threatened Ashgold and Hearts of Oak face Berekum Arsenal who lost their four year unbeaten home record to Kessben last week.

There is every indication that when the history of the 2009 league is written Asante Kotoko would get a pride of place for giving the competition such an exciting finish when it had looked all the way a one horse event after the first round with house establishing what even the experts said was an unassailable lead. And for the wrong reasons Accra Hearts of Oak would be remembered for their unprecedented poor second round poor show when they were everybody’s favourites to win the cup. It is not too late though for them to live up to their motto of “Never say die until the bones are rotten”. After all there two more games to go.

But Kotoko will still capture the headlines for the positive change in management that has resulted in a better Kotoko now capable of filling the stands