Dreams FC head coach, Abdul-Karim Zito has thrown shots at the Sports Writers Association of Ghana (SWAG) for consistently overlooking him in their awards scheme despite his heroics in the country for the past years.
The experienced gaffer has been very impressive in both national and club football and is arguably the best on the local scene for the past five years.
In late 2020, he led the Black Satellites to glory by winning the WAFU U-20 Championship in Benin, and then topped up with the Africa Youth Championship later in Mauritania.
Last season, Zito, once again defied all odds by taking down then reigning champions Hearts of Oak to clinch the FA Cup, which earned Dreams FC a slot in this season’s CAF Confederations Cup and very close to playing in the semi-final after their first leg win in Bamako last week against Stade Malien.
Speaking on Onua TV, the ex-Kotoko star took a huge swipe at SWAG’s awards scheme and feels they have always been disrespecting and overlooking his work and that sometimes leaves him in so much pain.
Anxiously, he added by saying he will never attend their events anymore: hence, they shouldn’t bother to nominate him again.
“Last year (2023), there was a media house that selected their top 5 coaches. I wasn’t even named among the top 5. Anytime SWAG nominate me, they overlook me for the award,” he fumed on Onua TV
“So I have taken the decision not to attend any SWAG event event if I am nominated. Because, I know I will be overlooked for others perhaps underserving.
“For 13 years, we had been in the wilderness until I won WAFU Zone B for Ghana and eventually won the CAF U20 AFCON. But they handed the individual award to a coach aspiring to win a league in Ghana. You’ve sparked sadness in me this morning talking about this, I feel pain!
“So I’ve decided that SWAG should not call me again regarding any of their event. There is no way I will go! They should not even nominate again!!
“Three times I’ve been there, three times I’ve been denied. Meanwhile, I am not there because I am Karim Zito, I am there because of my performance.
“So it’s true! I don’t know if it’s because of where I come from (referring to Dreams FC). But I am happy that gradually some of you (journalists) are understanding me and now seeing exactly what I am doing for Ghana football.”
Dreams FC will face the Malian giants on Sunday, April 7, in the return encounter of the CAF Confederations Cup at the Ohene Gyan Stadium.