Former Asante Kotoko defender Gabriel Issah Ahmed is backing the club to go all the way to win the Caf Confederation Cup this season.

The Porcupine Warriors have made the group stage of the competition and will play home and away fixtures against Al-Hilal Omdurman of Sudan and the Zambian duo of Zesco United and Nkana FC in Group C.

The Kumasi-based side's best performance in the competition so far remains a final defeat to country rivals Hearts of Oak in the inaugural 2004 edition.

This crop of players need to be motivated so that they can get far. If you look at what they have achieved so far, it is fantastic," Ahmed, who played in the 2004 final, told Silver FM.

“You’ve got to motivate them. This is the time to do that. Maybe this could be the year to win it [Confederation Cup].

“I can see them making another history.

“When I talk about motivation, I mean fans trooping to the stadium to watch the games.

"Those days, when I come to the stadium to play and I see a big crowd, that is enough motivation for me.”

Kotoko have made the group stage of the competition for the fourth time, the last dating back to 2008.

Last season, they exited the championship in the preliminary round following a penalty shootout defeat to CARA Brazzaville of Congo.