Asante Kotoko head coach Prosper Narteh Ogum has acknowledged that the passing of Francis “Pooley” Frimpong has taken an emotional toll on the team.

Pooley was stabbed to death during a Ghana Premier League match between Nsoatreman and Kotoko in Nsoatre on matchday 19.

This tragic event led to a four-week suspension of the league, which resumed this weekend with Kotoko beating Legon Cities 2-0 at the Baba Yara Stadium on Sunday, moving them to second place on the league log.

Speaking after the game, Ogum acknowledged the difficulty in overcoming Pooley's passing.

“It has not been easy how we are all associated with Pooley," he said.

"We are trying to overcome it but sometimes it looks like a dream but then it's a reality. Because of my attachment to him (Pooley) it was very difficult for me to overcome.

“If you look at the body language of the players, it wasn’t that pleasant. But what I told my players is that they should minimise watching his (Pooley's) videos and reading publications about him because the more you read publications about him, the more it looks like his (death) is not true but it is true.

“It will be very difficult for the pain to go away."

Pooley was finally laid to rest on March 6, 2025 at Heroes Park in Kumasi.

The Ghana Police have arrested eight people in connection with Pooley's death, with five of the suspects granted bail and three remaining in police custody.

The Ghana Football Association has implemented enhanced safety measures at various stadiums to prevent such incidents in the future.