Ernst Middendorp reportedly planning a move back to Asante Kotoko
Ernst Middendorp who currently boss at Kaizer Chiefs since 2018 is reportedly planning to manage Asante Kotoko again in subsequent seasons when his days in the Premier League is called to end.
The German International has just a year left on his contract in the Premier Soccer League club that runs until June 2021 with no agreement yet in place.
Middendorp is on the verge of ending Amakhosi trophy drought since 2014 having guided Kaizer Chiefs to top of the PSL table with few matches to end the season as the league returns in early August.
With 4 points better off second placed Mamelodi Sundowns, it looks very likely that Middendorp will lift the PSL title for Chiefs first time in 6 years.
However, it is understood that the manager’s future is unclear after many supporters of Kaizer Chiefs not convinced that the German trainer is the right man for their job.
It reckoned that passionate Amakhosi supporters are unhappy about the way Mamelodi Sundowns have closed the points gap on Chiefs and even fear that Downs will overtake them on the PSL log due the Brazilians superb form prior to suspension of the league from coronavirus.
Middendorp may consider leaving South Africa whether or not Chiefs sack him at the end of this season to find a new life in the Ghana Premier with former side Asante Kotoko heavily been linked.
Middendorp still have connections with his former side but the Ghana Premier League outfits have not contacted him over his services.
However, they could be forced to do so later if boss Maxwell Konadu fails to conclude Kotoko’s campaign in next CAF Inter Club competitions in a respectable manner.
Meanwhile, Kaizer Chiefs football manager Bobby Motaung has rubbished reports claiming that Chiefs are considering sacking Middendorp amid his move to the Ghana Premier League.
“Unfortunately, we’ve not even had that [sacking] discussion as a club,” Motaung told HeraldLIVE.
“So, it’s a rumour that you find and talk which is out there [he is leaving for Kotoko in Ghana]‚ which we don’t know of.
“So, at this moment, I don’t want to entertain the coach’s issues because there is nothing – we have never had a discussion. We have not sat down and discussed his future.”
“The coach has a contract. He still has one more season to go and we have not even sat down to said, ‘the coach must leave’ or anything (like that),” Motaung continued.
“And we don’t know anything. These are just rumour and rumours. We don’t know anything. We have not had those discussions.”
Middendorp, 61, coached Kotoko from 1999 to 2002 before taking over in Augsburg in 2002 and returned to GPL side Hearts of Oak in 2004.
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