Asante Kotoko head coach Eric Tinkler has pushed back against criticism from Maxwell Konadu and Karim Zito over his comments on the poor state of pitches in Ghana, insisting his remarks are about the quality of football and fan entertainment rather than excuses for results.
The South African coach, speaking to Akoma 87.9 FM, stressed that football should entertain supporters who attend stadiums. “I’m not trying to make an excuse about the pitches. The fact is, football is about entertainment. People want to come to the stadiums and be entertained,” Tinkler said. He questioned how fans can enjoy matches when surfaces force teams into long-ball play instead of attractive, possession-based football: “How are you going to be entertained when the pitch is not in good condition? How are you going to be entertained if we go back to the old-school English football, where we’re just playing long balls because the pitch only allows us to do that?”
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Tinkler’s latest comments follow earlier criticism of playing surfaces during Kotoko’s pre-season preparations. He has argued that poor pitches hinder player development and make it harder to implement his preferred style.
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Black Satellites coach Maxwell Konadu and former Kotoko boss Karim Zito (now at AshantiGold 04) had urged the new Porcupine Warriors manager to adapt, but Tinkler dismissed the idea that critics’ views on the pitches.
