I don’t know if Johnson Smith is okay with the Kotoko position – Coach JE Sarpong

Veteran coach, Joseph Emmanuel Sarpong has advised the hierarchy of Asante Kotoko to make a proper internal arrangement to ensure the healthy working relationship between Johnson Smith and Abdulai Gazale following the confirmation of the latter as head coach of the side.

The Porcupine Warriors on February 8, 2021, notified the Ghana Football Association of the confirmation of the appointment of Coach Abdulai Gazale, a CAF License “A” holder as the substantive head coach of the club.

Following the mutual termination of the agreement between Asante Kotoko SC and former Head Coach Maxwell Konadu, the current league leaders and CAF Confederation Cup campaigners confirmed then second assistant trainer Johnson Smith – who is not having the required License A certificate – as an interim coach.

Due to Smith’s certificate issues which goes against the Club Licensing Board’s requirements, the club has confirmed the appointment of Abdulai Gazale as the head coach for both their domestic and continental competitions for the remainder of the 2020/21 season.

Smith has been impressive since taking the post and many believe the announcement could affect their resurgence.

But JE Sarpong believes that Kotoko will make progress if management sits the two coaches down, noting that Smith should work on getting the License A certificate.

“Johnson Smith needs prayers. He has played football to the highest level, playing for Eleven Wise and even the Black Stars. Now, he’s a coach but I don’t know why he didn’t pursue the certificate course after qualifying Karela United to the Ghana Premier League, ” he told Kumasi-based Hello FM.

“I don’t know if he’s okay with the Kotoko position. Don’t forget he was with them but Maxwell Konadu didn’t pick him as his assistant.

“Maxwell knew Johnson Smith and Akakpo Patron were holding the forth but he relegated him.

“Of course, professionally, if you’re given a job you can move in with your assistant coach who will understand you because of gossip that goes on.

“But I don’t think Johnson Smith is cast in that mode. He’s somebody who wants to work so if I were the coach I would have given him the work to do.

“I see it as a ploy Kotoko is applying because of his certification. Because of the Club Licensing issues, Johnson Smith cannot sit on the bench as head coach in the African games.

“I think there can be an internal arrangement. The management should sit Smith and Gazale down and talk to them. When Smith was made the interim coach Gazale was around and they have worked together for some time now.

“Gazale will be the head and will be guided by Smith. Anything short of that will rock the Kotoko team, ” he concluded.

Kotoko will battle Algerian side ES Setif in the first leg of the final qualifying round of the 2020/21 Caf Confederation Cup in Accra on Sunday, February 14, 2021.