GPL 2021/22 season build-up: Will there be a different champion for the 11th time?

Undoubtedly, Accra Hearts of Oak will have no other intention and goal when the new season begins than to go all out and defend their crown in the new season.

After several years of failing to lift the Ghana Premier League trophy, the Phobians did so under the guidance of former Medeama SC head coach Samuel Boadu.

The Phobians have strengthened their team further with the additions of the likes of Kofi Kordzi, Gladson Awako and others and will be determined to do the double in the 2021/22 season.

Their ambitions, will certainly, be tested by several clubs in the league including arch rivals Kumasi Asante Kotoko whose last win of the Premier League came in 2014.

The Porcupine Warriors have been camping in Dubai ahead of the new season and have signed about 14 players for head coach Barretto to challenge for the title this season.

Aside the aforementioned, there are big names who could also challenge for the title, but is there the possibility of having a different champion of the Ghana Premier League for the 11th time?

Previous winners of the Ghana Premier League 

Since the inception of the Ghana Premier League in 1956, there have been 10 different teams who have won the ultimate trophy.

Kumasi Asante Kotoko and Accra Hearts of Oak have, of course, won the most trophies among the 10, and speaks to their reputation as the two most glamorous clubs in the country.

The former has been superior, winning 24 league titles as compared to the latter’s 21.

The closest team to these two is AshantiGold who has managed to win on four different occasions, with the last trophy coming in  the 2014-2015 with coach Bashir Hayford who also won the title with Kotoko in 2008.

Accra Great Olympics, Aduana Stars are tied on 2 trophies each.

Below is the full list of past winners of the Ghana Premier League:

Kotoko -24

Hearts -21

AhantiGold -4

Olympics -2

Aduana Stars -2

Eleven Wise -1

Real Republicans -1

Ebusua Dwarfs -1

Hasaacas -1

Legon Cities -1

Will there be a different winner for the 11th time? 

As indicated earlier, Accra Hearts of Oak and Kumasi Asante Kotoko who are previous winners will be very much in the conversation as title contenders, so will the likes of Aduana Stars and Ashanti Gold.

But if there is a club that is more capable of becoming the 11th different winner, it has to be Medeama SC.

The Western based side are two time winners of the FA Cup after winning it in 2013 and 2015 but are yet to win the Ghana Premier League.

Medeama SC were on course to win the trophy in 2018 after topping the league in 14 games, but the league was annulled due to the Number 12 exposé.

The departure of Samuel Boadu to Accra Hearts of Oak after being at the club since 2018 did no good to the club’s ambitions last season but they will be hoping to go all out with their new coach Ignatius Osei Fosu.

Aside Medeama SC, West African Football Academy (WAFA) is another club who could win the competition this season and become the 11th different winner.

They have in recent years achieved some impressive results on home soil including a 5-0 thrashing of defending champions Accra Hearts of Oak in 2017.

That impressive record continued in the just ended season as they lost only once at home, a record that surpassed by Aduana Stars who lost none in 17 games at home last season.

Their away form, however, was not that great as they lost 9 times on the road and it will be crucial for them to fix that if they are to challenge for the title.