Asante Kotoko head coach Eric Tinkler says he is ready to embrace the challenge of rebuilding the club after their disappointing eighth-place finish in the Ghana Premier League last season.
The South African believes his 14 years in management have given him the experience required to handle the demands of one of Ghana’s most prominent football jobs.
“I like challenges,” Tinkler said after Asante Kotoko’s 1-0 pre-season victory over Heart of Lions at the University of Ghana Stadium on Tuesday, August 18.
The result was an encouraging start to his tenure, but the former South Africa manager’s first competitive fixtures will provide a much clearer test of the task ahead.
Tinkler’s opening assignment will be against arch-rivals Hearts of Oak in the 2026 Democracy Cup on 28 August. Asante Kotoko will then begin their 2026/27 Ghana Premier League campaign away to newly promoted Debibi United on 6 September 2026.
The 54-year-old arrives at Asante Kotoko with extensive experience of managing major clubs in South Africa. His previous appointments include Orlando Pirates, SuperSport United, Cape Town City, Maritzburg United and Bidvest Wits.
His coaching career has also included significant continental competition achievements. Tinkler guided Orlando Pirates to the final of the CAF Champions League and later led SuperSport United to the CAF Confederation Cup final.
Those experiences form part of the background behind his confidence that he can meet the expectations surrounding his new role. Asante Kotoko, known as the Porcupine Warriors, are seeking a marked improvement after ending last season eighth in the domestic top flight.
The victory over Heart of Lions was played as part of the club’s preparations for the demanding run of fixtures ahead. Tinkler’s immediate priority is to ensure the squad is ready for the meeting with Hearts of Oak, before attention turns to the start of the league campaign.
The Democracy Cup will give him an early opportunity to assess his team in a competitive setting and face one of Asante Kotoko’s biggest rivals. The league opener against Debibi United will follow soon afterwards, with the newly promoted side providing the first test of the club’s ambitions over a full Ghana Premier League season.
Tinkler’s record at Orlando Pirates and SuperSport United demonstrates his familiarity with high-pressure environments and continental football. He now faces a different challenge in Ghana, with the responsibility of restoring Asante Kotoko to a stronger position after last season’s underwhelming finish.
For the new head coach, however, the scale of the task is part of the attraction. His message following the win over Heart of Lions was that difficult assignments have consistently motivated him, and he believes his long coaching career has prepared him for the demands of leading Asante Kotoko.