Asante Kotoko in search for new head coach, Prosper Nettey, CK Akonnor and Kwesi Appiah linked as Mariano Barreto set to be fired |

Asante Kotoko are unhappy with Mariano Barreto last season’s performance
They want to fire him to find new replacement
Prosper Nettey, CK Akonnor and Kwesi Appiah have been linked
However, Barreto could resume duty after Kotoko Chairman’s interference

Asante Kotoko could fire head coach Mariano Barreto before next season start in October according to reports. Meanwhile three Ghanaian coaches have been linked with the managerial duties at Baba Yara Stadium.

However, a foreigner could reportedly another option the Kotoko hierarchy may consider.

Portuguese International Mariano Barreto joined the Ghana Premier League outfit in the second round of last season after Kotoko made changes to the technical team where Johnson Smith who had lead the team in Ghana Premier League and African Champions League matches reverted back to his assistant duties.

Before his interim started back in December 2020, former Black Stars assistant manager Maxwell Konadu began the season with Asante Kotoko but was later fired due to poor run of results.

Barreto signed a year-and-half contract in March 2021 at Kotoko while coming in as a direct replacement for Maxwell Konadu.

The Portuguese’s immediate term target was to win the Ghana Premier League but the 64-year old lost the title to rivals Hearts of Oak and exited the MTN FA Cup at the quarter-finals stage.

A the end of the 2020-2021 season, Barreto half a year remaining contract but it’s understood that the Kotoko hierarchy are unhappy with Barreto’s performance so far and have decided to find his replacement ahead of next season.

Since blast of the season, a host of managers have been associated with Kotoko’s coaching job. Initial spat of reports claimed Kotoko have opened talks with Prosper Nattey who guided West African Football Academy (Wafa) to a third place in the Ghana Premier League.

Whiles the reports were true after Nettey willing to take the managerial role, there appears a twist in the move after the manager’s professional work may conflict when he lands the Kotoko coaching job.

Nettey is currently a professor at the University of Cape Coast (UCC) in Cape Coast lecturing in course of the week while that may conflict his daily coaching duties at Kotoko.

That challenge has not completely shut down talks between Asante Kotoko and Prosper Nettey but the Kumasi based side are tempted to find suitable alternative as talks with the professor has slowed down at the moment.

In light of that, Kotoko have reportedly considered appointing former boss Charles Kwablan Akonnor after losing his job as the head coach of Black Stars last Monday. Akonnor guided Asante Kotoko to first ever Caf Inter Club group stage in 10 years when Porcupine Warriors reached the 2018 Caf Confederation Cup money zone.

That massive achievement has written his name in the good books of the Ghanaian side and could land the job if Barreto leaves office according media reports in Ghana. Some board members of Kotoko admire Akonnor but ,unlike Nettey and Kwesi Appiah, no official contacts have been made with the former manager as it stands.

At the beginning of this week, former Back Stars head coach Kwesi Appiah is the latest to be with the Kotoko coaching job.

According to reports in GhanaWeb, Kotoko have started talks with Kwesi Appiah to take the coaching job but the former player has rejected the offer. It’s understood that Appiah is not ready to return to management since been fired from Black Stars in January 2020.

Kotoko have reportedly offered Appiah the technical director role where the GhanaWeb report claims the former Kotoko captain has accepted to take that charge. Proper arrangement are been made to complete his appointment.

With that said, the head coach role still needs to be filled and Kotoko could recall Barreto to continue his duties or appoint a new foreign manager. Reports in Ghana claim Kotoko Chairman Dr. Kwame Kyei has asked the Portugal trainer to resume duty.

However, a report on Kumasi based Radio Station Kessben FM on Wednesday morning claims Kotoko have asked former President of GFA Normalization Committee Dr. Kofi Amoah to talk with Barreto to agree on mutual termination of his year remaining contract.

With all these situations weighted, Kotoko are hoping to appoint anyone of them mentioned in here or a different manager before the team return for pre-season next week.