Ghana Premier League giants Asante Kotoko have confirmed the appointment of Abdul Gazale as the club’s substantive head coach following the departure of Maxwell Konadu.
Konadu’s appointment as the head coach of the Porcupine Warriors was terminated mid-December following a string of poor results.
Gazale, who is a CAF License “A” holder, will hold the head coach position for both Kotoko’s domestic and continental competitions for the remainder of the 2020/21 season.
A statement posted on Ghana Football Association website confirming Gazale as interim head coach read:
[perfectpullquote align=”full” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””] “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. [/perfectpullquote]
“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 January 22, 2021, by the Association or risk being sanctioned.
“The club has however been asked to furnish the GFA with the contractual documents of this appointment in line with the club licensing regulations.”
Gazale served as Kotoko’s assistant coach and has been leading the technical bench at continental matches, notably African Champions League preliminary round match against Al Hilal of Sudan.
Sources at Kotoko’s top hierarchy are still on the lookout to appoint a foreign coach and could make Gazale the substantive assistant once the new head coach arrives.
Kotoko are currently leading their Ghana Premier League table will next face third-placed Bechem United on Tuesday 23 February.
But before the match, the Porcupine Warriors will tackle Algerian side ES Sétif in the first leg of the CAF Confederation Cup play-off round on Sunday.
