Asante Kotoko have officially appointed Abdul Gazele as the club’s new Head Coach following the departure of Maxwell Konadu, the Ghana FA annouce after receiving an official letter from the club.



Asante Kotoko are yet to make an official announcement but the GFA released a statement on Monday confirming the appointment.

Full Statement:

Asante Kotoko have today, February 8, 2021 notified the Ghana Football Association of the confirmation of the appointment of Coach Abdul Gazale, a CAF License “A” holder as the substantive head coach of the club.

Following the departure of Maxwell Konadu, the league leaders and CAF Confederation Cup campaigners informed the Association that Coach Abdul Gazale has been appointed in an Acting capacity until a substantive one is appointed.

Under the Duty To Notify requirement by clubs and the Club Licensing Process, Asante Kotoko SC notified the GFA of the interim appointment of Abdul Gazale and Johnson Smith as head coach and assistant respectively for a 30 day period on December 22, 2020.

On Wednesday, January 20, 2021, the club was reminded of the expiry of the interim appointment and the need to confirm a substantive appointment on or before the January 22, 2021 by the Association or risk being sanctioned.

Accordingly, the club has confirmed the appointment of Abdul Gazale as the head coach for both their domestic and continental competitions for the remainder of the 2020/21 season.

The club has however been asked to furnish the GFA with the contractual documents of this appointment in line with the club licensing regulations.

The GFA wishes to use this opportunity to also remind all clubs who made interim appointments within the season to ensure the appointment of a substantive coach within the 30 days grace period or face sanctions.

Asante Kotoko coach Johnson Smith revealed that hard work and development was one of the reasons his side beat Karela United on Sunday in the Ghana Premier League to break the home side’s unbeaten record.



Imoro Ibrahim and Kwame Opoku were on target in Asante Kotoko’s victory against Karela United, a win that lifts the Kumasi-based club to the top of the Ghana Premier League table.

Johson Smith who was all smiles after the game revealed that his team was prepared and worked hard towards the game.

“It was all about hard work and development because when we were coming here, we were determined to come and stop them. Last year, I was here when we beat them 3-1,” he said

“So when I was coming I prepared very well because I knew the team very well” he added.

Asante Kotoko are still unbeaten away from home after thirteen games in the Ghana Premier League.

Karela United are set to announce the signing of Prosper Nartey as the club’s new head coach following the departure of Johnson Smith.

The University of Cape Coast (UCC) lecturer has been named as a replacement for Johnson Smith who left the club last week.

According to reports, Karela United will officially unveil Prosper Nartey on Thursday.

Prosper Nartey joins Karela United with experience as he was the manager of Ghana Premier League side Ebusua Dwarfs three years ago.

Former Ashantigold gaffer Svetislav Tanasijevic has called on Asante Kotoko to show ‘fake’ Kjetil Zachariassen the exit following reports of him faking documents to secure the top job. 

Kjetil Zachariassen has come under intense scrutiny after new broke he applied for the Kotoko job with fake certificates.

The ex-Ashantigold coach has also seen his work criticized following the Porcupine Warriors exit from the CAF Champions League.

However, his former work pal at the Miners Svetislav Tanasijevic has described the Norwegian tactician as fraud and Asante Kotoko must sack him.

“That man is a very selfish man, he works in a very bad manner, he collected money from his players that’s why all the clubs he has coached had sacked him within 5 to 7months, he is a fake man,” he told Kumasi based Silva FM.

“Yacouba with one leg should play, sack Zach because he doesn’t know how to win an away game. If Kotoko wins at home it’s no problem because they have their supporters around; allow Karela coach (Johnson Smith) to sit at the bench as a head coach against San Pedro or else it’s very dangerous for Kotoko to pass this test.

“Johnson Smith is 100% better than Zacharia, he’s a better man, he’s a better person of Zacharia and also a better coach, he has seen more things in the game, he knows how to win an away games.”



credit: Ghanasoccernet

Former assistant coach of Asante Kotoko Akakpo Patron is set to join Karela United after parting ways with the Porcupine Warriors. 

The former Kotoko striker is seen as a direct replacement for Johnson Smith, who rejoined the Reds after ten years away from the club. He takes over the role left by Akakpo Patron.

Meanwhile, Patron- who has vast experience as assistant gaffer, will be taking over as head coach of the club.

According to reports, other coaches have expressed interest in the Karela job but the Anyinase based outfit prefers Akakpo Patron.

Mallam Yahaya, formerly of New Edubiase and King Failsal is another name to have popped up on Karela’s list of coaches for the job.

Karela United have been impressive since gaining promotion to the top flight and were runners up in the Normalisation Committee Tier Special Competition.

source: Ghanasoccernet

Karela United coach Johnson Smith has reunited with Asante Kotoko as an assistant to Kjetil Zachariassen as the Kotoko management moves to strengthen their technical team.

The Takoradi-born trainer signed a two-year deal at the club’s secretariat on Friday, becoming the club’s new Assistant Coach following the expiration of the contract of Raphael Akakpo.

Johnson Smith was previously a part of the club’s technical team. He Assistant Bashiru Hayford in 2007 and was Caretaker Coach in 2008 after the exit of the then Head Coach, Paa Kwesi Fabin.

Johnson Smith returns to Kotoko after a two-year illustrious stint at Karela United. He led the Anyinase-based club to gain Premier League promotion in his first year and was third on the log before the suspension of the top-flight competition in June 2017.



Johnson Smith continued his impressive form in the Normalisation Committee Special Competition in his second year. It took Kotoko to stop him from winning the Tier One Cup as the Porcupines beat his former side on penalties in the final game.

Johnson Smith joined Berekum Arsenal after leaving Kotoko and proceeded to Gold Stars after a season. He spent three years at the Bibiani-based club and took the club to three consecutive Division-One Middle League berths.

He joined Eleven Wise from Bibiani Gold Stars but was re-signed back to the latter after just a season.

Johnson Smith’s second Bibiani Gold Stars stint lasted for a year and left to take over the then Division-One side, Karela United.

In his first interview with Kotoko Express App, Johnson Smith thanked the club for the confidence shown in him and pledged to contribute in no small way to develop the team.

In his first interview with Kotoko Express App, Johnson Smith thanked the club for the confidence shown in him and pledged to do his best for the team.

source: Kotoko Express App

Asante Kotoko have reportedly offered Karela United coach Johnson Smith the opportunity to be an Assistant to Kjetil Zachariassen at the club.

The management of the club are considering making changes in the club’s technical team after failing to make the group stages of the CAF Champions League.

It is assumed that Johnson Smith will eventually replace Kjetil Zachariassen as the head coach but the club wants him to start as an assistant.

Johnson Smith has worked with Bibiani Gold Stars,  Sekondi Eleven Wise, and Berekum Arsenal as  coach.

Karela United secured a famous victory against Ashantigold in Obuasi thanks to Diawisie Taylor’s 94th-minute strike that sent his team into the finals.

Karela head coach Johnson Smith stated that his side played well and believed to the end and they don’t fear any team they come against.

Karela United coach believes the Referee Adaara Abdul-Latif gifted Hearts Of Oak the penalty that enabled them to win the game on Wednesday.

Hearts of Oak were awarded a controversial penalty in the 72nd minute of the game, Christopher Bonney stepped up and scored for the host.

Karela United coachJohnson Smith believes it was never a penalty



“The referee says it is a penalty, but my thought is that it is never a penalty. The referee says it is a penalty, so we have to take it”

Hearts of Oak have qualified for the semifinal after their victory on Wednesday.

Hearts of Oak secured a narrow win against Karela United on Sunday to seal Sem-final qualification, but Karela coach insists that his boys were the better side despite the defeat.

Hearts grabbed all three points through a controversial penalty, Christopher Bonney scored from the spot to seal the game.

Speaking to the Press after the game, Karela United coach Johnson Smith believes his side were better than Hearts in the game.

“I know my boys were better, I liked the way my boys played, and I don’t think Hearts would contain us in perfect weather. The pitch was slippery”



Karela United are four points behind Hearts of Oak and will be looking to win their remaining games to qualify for the Semifinals with Hearts.