Databank Chief Executive Kojo Addae Mensah has claimed Asante Kotoko missed an “ideal” opportunity by not appointing Ignatius Osei-Fosu as their new head coach, arguing the young Ghanaian would have been a better fit than yet another foreign import.
The record Ghanaian champions have instead turned to South African Eric Tinkler, who has been named head coach ahead of the 2026/27 Ghana Premier League season.
But Addae Mensah, speaking on Luv FM, suggested the club could have broken what he called a cycle of recycled coaches by turning to Osei-Fosu, currently assistant to former Ghana boss Kwesi Appiah with the Sudan national team.
‘We are recycling the same names’
The Databank CEO argued that Kotoko’s potential Ghanaian candidates had become increasingly predictable, with most of the leading local coaches having already taken charge of the Porcupine Warriors at some point.
“Whoever you mention would be a recycle. All those who are more or less available would have worked with Kotoko before. Frimpong Manso is available and has worked with Kotoko before. Maxwell Konadu has worked with Kotoko before. Everybody you mention has been there before,” he said.
Asante Kotoko, one of Africa’s most decorated clubs, have gone through a string of coaching changes in recent years as they attempt to restore domestic dominance and re-establish themselves as a force in continental competition.
In that context, Addae Mensah believes the club needed a different profile of coach and that Osei-Fosu was well-placed to provide it.
Osei-Fosu backed after Sudan experience
Osei-Fosu, who has previously managed Medeama SC and Aduana FC, is widely regarded within Ghanaian football circles as one of the country’s brightest young tacticians.
For Addae Mensah, his current role working under Appiah in Sudan was a key reason he should have been strongly considered for the Kotoko job.
“Of course, we could say we have run out of options. We don’t really have options. But I know Ignatius is working with Sudan, and I can bet that if we sit down and talk to Kwesi Appiah, he would allow us to have Ignatius,” he said.
The Databank boss believes that exposure to international football and collaboration with an experienced coach like Appiah would have equipped Osei-Fosu for the pressures associated with leading Kotoko.
“I would have considered Ignatius, especially considering his exposure and having worked with Kwesi for so long,” he stated.
Kotoko future and Osei-Fosu’s openness
Osei-Fosu has previously indicated that he would be open to managing Asante Kotoko one day, but has also stressed that the timing and conditions would have to be right for him to take on such a demanding role.
As things stand, he remains part of Sudan’s technical team, working closely with Appiah as the Middle Eastern nation attempts to rebuild its footballing profile on the international stage.
Tinkler era begins in Kumasi
Meanwhile, Tinkler has already started preparations for the upcoming Ghana Premier League campaign after agreeing to take charge of the Porcupine Warriors.
Kotoko are targeting a renewed title challenge in the 2026/27 season, aiming to reclaim the domestic crown and stabilise a club that has often lurched from one coaching change to another.
Tinkler, a former South Africa international with coaching experience in the Premier Soccer League, will be under pressure to deliver swift improvements.
However, Addae Mensah’s comments highlight a growing debate within Ghanaian football about whether top clubs should place more trust in emerging local coaches such as Osei-Fosu, rather than repeatedly turning to familiar faces or foreign managers.
