Former Technical Director of Kumasi Asante Kotoko, Malik Jabir, is likely to make a return to the club after 10 years absence to handle the team’s last nine matches as they fight to reclaim the Premier League title they surrendered to regional rivals, AshantiGold.
Club sources told Graphic Sports yesterday (Tuesday) the experienced coach’s name has been proposed for a likely consideration to assist caretaker coach, Michael Osei, to win the league.
Stop-gap Manager, Samuel Opoku Nti, said the club was yet to sit with Michael Osei to explain issues with him and the need for someone to be assist him.
But even before the management could meet with Coach Osei, his assistant and current team manager, Godwin Ablodey, is resisting any such move because according to him there was no point for hiring another technical brain.
'We don't need any fresh coach. We are capable for we have done a lot with the current players and I hope we can deliver.
'In any case what is the new coach coming to add. We have done all there needs to be done. And we shall get better,' Ablodey, fondly referred to as champion during his playing days told a post-match conference at the Baba Yara Stadium after last Sunday’s 1-1 drawn game.
The proposed hiring of the veteran Jabir has been seen as a coupe d’état against the current technical team headed by Osei.
Indeed, one of such people backing Coach Osei is board member Kwaku Amponsah (K 5) who insisted on radio that it did not make economic sense for Kotoko to hire another technical person.
‘Kotoko owes players GHC 200,000, Graphic Communications Group Limited GHC 170,000 as well as unspecified amount against former coach David Duncan; so why do we want to increase the club’s debt portfolio?’ K5 questioned.
He said it was time the club had confidence in Coach Osei to deliver on his promise of winning the trophy rather than jumping from one coach to another.
The 71-year-old former coach of ASFA Yennenga of Burkina Faso and Technical Director of Kano Pillars of Nigeria had headed the technical department of Kotoko during the 2005-2006 season but since 2008, the coach has not been actively involved in direct football technical issues and some of the old players of Kotoko fear he could be out of touch.
Kotoko are currently placed fourth on the 16-club league table on 33 points, four points adrift of the leaders, Accra Hearts of Oak.