Kumasi Asante Kotoko must purge itself

Kumasi Asante Kotoko Football Club, on January 10, 2017, engaged the services of a Croatian Coach, Zdravko Logarusic, to manage the Asantehene's football club to achieve greater laurels after placing fifth on the 2015/2016 Premier League table, with 46 points.

However, after leading the Porcupines Warriors in 11 league matches, where he won five, drew four and lost two, he was shown the exit by management of the club, and on came Frimpong Manso, a former defender of the club.

Since joining the club, the Porcupine Warriors have drawn three matches and lost four times, which continued to lower the spirit of the teeming followers.

Now, there is news that the Kumasi-based premier side have concluded arrangements with Steve Pollack, a former Brekum Chelsea trainer, to take over the club and help turn things around for the rest of the season.

The Chronicle does not believe that just bringing on a new coach would do the trick of turning the fortunes of Kumasi Asante Kotoko around and restoring its former glory.

Even though Polack's job has been clearly cut out for him – to restore the waned confidence of the players, bring back their enthusiasm, and win matches to rejuvenate the supporters – we believe there is more to the performance of the club than meets the eye.

The Chronicle does not understand why, in recent years, managements of Asante Kotoko find it a pleasure firing coaches, including those who have been performing well by winning titles.

In 2007, after winning the 2006/2007 Ghana Premier League for the Porcupine Warriors, Coach Bashir Hayford, who masterminded the feat, was fired under strange circumstances.

Coach Mas–Ud Didi Dramani, who won five trophies in two seasons, was considered unworthy to continue managing Asante Kotoko, after only seven games into the new season.

While in charge, Kotoko drew a lot of games (14 in all, 12 of them under Didi Dramani), and the dissenting voices grew, but he negotiated the 2012/13 season till Kotoko landed the title, and repeated the feat in the 2013/2014 season.

He topped those back-to-back premiership titles with an FA Cup and two Super Cup trophies, yet, even though under a different management, he was shown the exit.

Then Coach David Duncan took over as the Head Coach of the Porcupine Warriors at the beginning of the season, but failed to impress the followers of the club, which resulted in his dismissal, midway in the season.

Duncan's Assistant Coach, Michael Osei, was tasked with the responsibility of guiding the club for the rest of the season, to ensure that Asante Kotoko does not go to relegation, which he did expertly.

Perhaps, the new administration of Dr Kwame Kyei felt that the Kumasi-based club required a new coach who has the pedigree to take Asante Kotoko to the next level of achievements, hence the recruitment of Logarusic.

The Chronicle is of the firm view that whoever advised the management to fire Michael Osei did more damage to the club than good.

As stated earlier, bringing on Steve Pollack would not automatically solve the problems facing Kotoko.

Even if he can succeed, he would need the firm backing of management and supporters, who must have the patience for good results, which, we all know, takes time.

The paper wishes to advise the Dr Kwame Kyei-management, on the other hand, to set up a committee to find out the root cause of the problems facing Kotoko.

The committee must establish the role of the management in all these problems, and the role of the playing body in not getting the needed results that would prop up the club and turn its fortunes around.

It is then that the management would be able to put a finger on the root cause of the woes of the Africa Club of the Century, and address same with all the attention it requires.

Asante Kotoko must be revived to bring back the enthusiasm and eagerness of the capital city of the Ashanti Region to boost the local economy in the Ashanti Region.