Former Kotoko coach accuses assistants of sabotage

Former Asante Kotoko coach Seydou Zerbo has launched a scathing attack on his assistant coach, Abdulai Gazale and goalkeeper's trainer Issah Najahu, accusing them of being detrimental to his tenure at the club.

In an explosive interview with Kumasi-based Fox FM, Zerbo revealed the internal negativity and opposition he faced from Gazale and Najahu during his time as Kotoko's head coach.

Despite being an expatriate trainer from Burkina Faso, Zerbo dismissed language barriers as a major challenge, attributing successful communication with the players to the assistance of translator Moise Pouaty and physical trainer Nasim Islam, who facilitated communication in English. However, Zerbo cited Gazale and Najahu as the primary sources of conflict within the coaching setup.

"The biggest problem I faced at Kotoko was Abdulai Gazale and Issah Najahu, who did not accept my arrival at all. They did everything to ensure my failure," Zerbo vehemently stated. "They are enemies of progress who plotted my downfall. They spent their time making things difficult for me and Islam Nazim at Kotoko."

Zerbo went on to highlight the unprofessional behaviour of Gazale and Najahu, claiming that they intentionally misled the players by relaying different instructions from what he had communicated. This lack of professionalism greatly undermined his authority as head coach and hindered the team's progress.

In response to the sabotage he experienced, Zerbo took the matter up with the club's management. "I informed [Chief Executive] Nana Yaw Amponsah, and that is why they brought in Orlando Wellington to assist me. Even after Gazale was removed from the team, he maintained influence over certain players who were aligned with him. Let's not forget that Najahu was still present as well," Zerbo revealed.

The Burkinabe was sacked over poor results in the middle of the season, with Gazale taking over however the club continued to struggle and ended the season trophyless.