Asante Kotoko reportedly mutually part company with boss Mariano Barreto
Ghana Premier League giants Asante Kotoko have mutually agreed to part company with boss Mariano Barreto six months into his original contract according to reports in Ghana.
The Portuguese International took over the managerial position in the second half of the Ghana Premier League season after the club announced him as replacement for Maxwell Konadu.
Before Barreto’s appointment, Johnson Smith was on the interim starting from December 2020 as the later signed a year-and-half contract in March 2021.
Barreto started off his journey well with emphatic 4-0 victory over Bechem United but the ending of the season turned bitter after seeing Hearts of Oak beat him to the Ghana Premier League title and exited the FA Cup in the quarter-finals.
Futball Surgery reported earlier this week that Asante Kotoko management are in search of a new coach in a bid to fire the former Black Stars boss but were on weighting his best replacement.
A whole lot of names have been linked with Kotoko to take over the caching job if Barreto is finally sacked.
With Kotoko reportedly agreeing a three year deal with West Africa Football Academy (Wafa) manager Prosper Nettey Ogum, Barreto has finally been shown the exit door.
It’s understood that talks between the Ghana Premier League second placed side and Prosper Nettey commenced weeks ago and is at advanced stage. Nettey has agreed a 3-year deal in principle to join Kotoko where he is expected to move to Kumasi next week.
Nettey’s situation has put Barreto Kotoko future in a sharp decline almost six months into his contract and will now leave without collecting heavy fines from the Reds.
At the end of the Ghana Premier League season, the 64-year old had has assessed his team’s inability to lift the league title though his assessment has sparked with misunderstanding between his management.
When asked about the challenges he faced in the season and why he couldn’t win the Ghana Premier League, Barreto revealed poor conditioning of facility, home venue and attitude of club supporters as key influence.
“All the conditions we have are not proper for a professional club but the coach never said anything. We always try to convince the players to give their best and most did it. But we still had some players not performing and not working.
“Kotoko is one team in the world that played all their matches away from home but you never heard me speak. We fought for the title but the people have to know the reality.
“We have no dressing room or washroom at Adako Jachie but some people just insult players because they don’t know all these,” Barreto concluded.
