Former Asante Kotoko Communications Director Sarfo Duku believes Eric Tinkler can guide the club to the Ghana Premier League title, despite the South African coach taking charge at a difficult point and having to contend with injuries within the squad.
Duku said Tinkler’s chances of delivering the championship in his first season will depend heavily on whether Kotoko’s players change their attitude and show greater commitment to the new coach’s approach.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with Luv FM, Duku acknowledged the scale of the challenge facing the former coach of the record Ghana Premier League champions.
“It will be difficult for Eric Tinkler to win the league this season, considering the timing and injuries,” Duku said.
Tinkler was appointed recently with the responsibility of rebuilding Asante Kotoko’s title ambitions after what had been a challenging period for the club. His arrival has created an opportunity for the team to reset, but Duku believes that the players must play their part if the club are to mount a successful challenge.
“However, if the players change their attitude, he can win it for Asante Kotoko,” he added.
Duku’s comments place the focus not only on Tinkler’s coaching ability but also on the response of the playing squad. He believes a positive reaction to the new manager’s methods could improve Kotoko’s prospects, even though the timing of the appointment and injuries have made the task more complicated.
The former Kotoko administrator had previously supported the appointment of a foreign coach. He said that position was shaped by concerns about the relationship between the players and the technical team, as well as the difficulty the coaching staff had faced when trying to make major decisions.
“Things were not going well between the playing body and the technical team. I believe we needed somebody to change the attitude of the boys and the coaches were struggling to take some bold decisions.”
That assessment highlights the change Duku hopes Tinkler can bring to the club. The South African has been tasked with restoring belief in a team whose title ambitions had suffered during a demanding period, while also working with a squad affected by injuries.
Asante Kotoko will open their 2026/27 Ghana Premier League campaign away from home against newly promoted Debibi United FC. Their first home fixture will come against Hearts of Lions.
The opening matches will provide Tinkler with his first competitive opportunity to establish his methods and assess the response of the players. For Duku, the possibility of a title push remains, but only if the squad demonstrates the improved attitude and commitment he believes are necessary.
