Asante Kotoko mutually terminate the contract of Kjetil Zachariassen
Ghana Premier League giants Asante Kotoko have terminated the contract of their boss Kjetil Zachariassen on Tuesday as claimed by reports in Ghana, particularly with Zachariassen agent Charles Kouadio being the source of spread of the news. It is clearly understood that termination is on mutual grounds.
Zachariassen signed a three year contract with the Kotoko about four months ago replacing Black Stars assistanct coach Charles Kwablan Akunnor at the Kumasi based club. Zachariassen was tasked to at least guarantee Kotoko CAF Champions League group stage football , but the Norwegian’s first four months of his three-year contract duration has been a failure haven seen his side fall in both the CAF Champions League and the Confederation Cup.
Etoile du Sahel in Monastir over turned their 2-0 deficit suffered against Kotoko in the first leg of the Champions League first round, before Ivorian side San Pedro deepened Kotoko’s woes in the Confederation Cup play-off.
Zachariassen’s inability to secure group stage football for Kotoko in CAF inter club competitions this season has raised tension between the Norwegian and club supporters where the faithfuls of Kotoko have called for the sack of Zachariassen.
Though sacking Zachariassen wouldn’t come easy in the beginning, especially knowing that Kotoko would have to pay a huge sum of compensation for at least three months period of the former Miners coach, the 1983 CAF Champions League winners have mutually terminate the contract of Zachariassen, according Zachariassen agent Charles Kouadio.
It is understood that the two parties held a meeting Yesterday Tuesday at club secretariat to finally agree on the contract termination. There still remain few issue that needs to be revolved which means the meeting between Kotoko and reps of Zachariassen continues today as claimed by Kouadio.
There hasn’t been an official confirmation from Asante Kotoko about the contract termination, however, their boss’ agent Kouadio has disclosed the issue to the Ghana media. When speaking to Kumasi-based Radio Staion Boss FM yesterday, Kouadio said;
“We met with kotoko management today to discuss the way forward of my client Kjetil Zachariassen, I can tell you as at now Zachariassen is not continuing at kotoko but nothing official”.
“We are trying to agree on a package so Zachariassen will leave his post as kotoko coach but is bit difficult agreeing on a fee, let me say kotoko are way off the figure we are looking for”, Kouadio added.
“The meeting didn’t end so we are continuing tomorrow but again Zachariassen don’t want this to be dragged too far because is a family issues”, he concluded.
If Kotoko succeed in terminating Zachariassen’s contract, the Norwegian will be the second coach to leave the Ghanaian giants in less than six months after parting ways with C.K Akunnor four months ago.
