Accra, May 15, GNA - Coach Emmanuel Kwesi Afranie of Kumasi Asante Kotoko has contrary views to assertions that his side's group in the 2006 Confederation of Africa Football (CAF) Champions League is the group of death that would pose a lot of threats to their progress in their first ever historic appearance in the competition.

"Our group is not the group of death, we are of equal strengths and we can scale through, after all we are not afraid of them", the coach told the GNA Sports in a telephone interview on Monday.

"Just as we are talking about them here and assessing their strengths and weaknesses, they are also talking about us knowing very well our pedigree on the continent".

Kotoko is grouped alongside an all North African side made up of defending champions, Al Ahly of Egypt, CS Sfaxien of Tunisia and JSK of Algeria.

The Fabulous lads will open the competition on July 14, with an away game against JSK of Algeria.

The veteran coach was optimistic that Kotoko would rather benefit from the fixtures because the results of matches between the three sides will be characterised by a lot surprises since matches involving them always comes with a lot rivalry.

According to the coach, his side has an enviable record at the preliminaries where they conceded least goals and annexed all home points, adding that Kotoko would adopt the same strategy at the league stages of the competition.

Coach Afranie said their progress in the competition will be built on well-rehearsed strategies which he expressed optimism will work the magic for the Club.

Explaining further, coach Afranie noted that the Club's primary objective is to win all home matches, with draws as their least targets in away matches.

He said the Club has what it takes to top the group when judged from their performance in the preliminaries.

The coach also disputed claims that the Club would be cheated in matches against the North Africans.

"The North Africans don't cheat, they are professionals and never engage in acts that will impede your progress.

"I don't agree with such claims, I have played against many North African cl ubs in my career as a coach and never came across such claims".

Coach Afranie said it is rather the Black Africans who try to use all forms of crude means to deny visiting clubs fair officiating, using what Berekum Arsenals went through recently in Angola as a test case. He indicated that Kotoko is equally strong to face their opponents and was of the view that they will secure a ticket to the next stage of the competition.

The coach who was on the verge of winning the 2006 One Touch Top Four Tourney last Sunday but saw his 51st minute goal cancelled by Hearts, expressed dissatisfaction with the performance of referee Seidu Bomison.

"I don't have anything against the equalising goal, but I think there were a lot of inconsistencies in most of the decisions he made during the game".

"This was the same referee who signalled that we were to play five minutes of added on time but only played less than three minutes". Coach Afranie, however, expressed satisfaction with the performance of his boys.