Asante Kotoko lost 1-0 to Great Olimpics in Ghana Premier League (GPL) game on Thursday. And Asante Kotoko sack their head coach following this league defeat. The Porcupine Warriors have thus parted ways with Maxwell Konadu, the club have announced.
So far in the top flight this term, the Kumasi-based outfit have won only one of four matches played. Drawing two and losing one, the Olympics disappointment being their first defeat of the season.
“Management of Asante Kotoko Sporting Club wishes to inform the general public that it has decided to part ways with coach Maxwell Konadu as its head coach with immediate effect.” Kotoko posted on Twitter on Friday.
“[Assistant] coach Johnson Smith has been appointed to lead the team in the interim.”
Kotoko opened their GPL season with a 1-1 home draw with Eleven Wonders. They then after held Berekum Chelsea to a 1-1 statement on matchday two.
Last week, the Porcupine Warriors registered their first win of the season in a 1-0 result over Legon Cities. Thursday’s 1-0 loss to Olympics owing to Michael Yeboah’s 54th-minute goal for the away side proved the coach’s last straw.
“It was a difficult game. The first half we didn’t look good. But we came into the second half and started doing the basic things.” Konadu said at the post-match press conference.
“We have taken lessons from this and will work on them. Some of the new players are only beginning to settle in. They will get better because they know the demands of the supporters and will respond accordingly.” He added.
Kotoko appointed Konadu as head coach in December 2019 following the dismissal of Norwegian trainer Kjetil Zachariassen.
It was the Ghanaian’s second stint in charge of the Porcupine Warriors, having led the side to the Premier League title in 2011-12.
He has previously worked as an assistant coach of Ghana’s national team as well as head coach of Ghana’s home-based national team. Team which he guided to the final of the 2019 Wafu Cup of Nations in Senegal.
Interim coach Johnson Smith will lead Kotoko into Sunday’s Premier League away encounter with Dreams FC. And also next week’s Caf Champions League first-round showdown with Al Hilal of Sudan.