Former Asante Kotoko head coach Seydou Zerbo has granted a media interview for the first time since he was relieved of his position as head coach of the Porcupine Warriors in March 2023 and the Burkina Faso national mentions assistant coach Abdulai Gazale and goalkeepers trainer Issah Najahu as the “biggest problems” he encountered in Kumasi. 

Zerbo took charge of The Reds in August 2022 to succeed Prosper Narteh Ogum who left the role after winning the 2021/22 Ghana Premier League title with the Kumasi-based giants.

Th former RC Kadiogo trainer started the 2022/23 season as Kotoko head coach but would not complete it following his sacking on 27th March , 2023.

“Communication was not that a problem for me but you know it was a bit complicated but when I arrived at the club there was Moise Pouaty who did the translation for me and later physical trainer Nasim Islam arrived too from Algeria and he also facilitated the communication as he spoke English too. So the communication with the players went well. There was no problem with that” , Seydou Zerbo told Kumasi-based Fox FM on the Focal Sports Show on Monday.

Zerbo continued :

“But 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 make sure I fail. They are enemies of progress who plotted my downfall. They spent their time to make things difficult for me and Islam Nazim at Kotoko.

When I tell them (Gazale and Najahu) something to tell the players , they intentionally tell the players different things entirely. They were not professional at all in my opinion.” , the expatriate trainer lamented.

“I will give you an example. Malik Jabir came to Burkina Faso to coach , he did not speak French , but we opened all the doors for him to succeed , he was aided and supported by the Burkinabes here and he did a good job. That is professionalism in football. Jabir spoke only English and there was this player called Ibrahima a former goalkeeper of the Burkina Faso national team in 1998 who did the translations from English to French for Malik Jabir. Even the the national team of Burkina was given to Malik to handle”

“Again Abdul Razak , a former Kotoko player also went to Mali to coach and there was no problem. He was accepted and supported but he did not speak french but as for me Abdulai Gazale and Issah Najahu seriously sabotaged me.” , the former Kotoko boss regretted.

When Zerbo was asked whether he informed the Nana Yaw Amponsah and the Kotoko management of the problems Gazale and Najahu were making against him , he replied :

“Yes. I inform Nana Yaw Amponsah and that is why they brought Orland Wellington to help me. Now when Gazale was sent away from the team , he was still in touch with some players who were on his side and were doing his bidding and don’t forget Najahu was still there.”

“They (Gazale and Najahu) were not professional at all but you see football is a universal game. Gazale never accepted my coming to Kotoko since our pre-season in Sudan , he never opened up to me and I realized it. Even in Benin for the Champions League game against Kadiogo , he was still the same , never okay with my arrival and he did all these with his accomplice Issah Najahu to make sure I did not succeed as Kotoko head coach” , Seydou Zerbo said.

Indeed Wellington was brought on board by Kotoko on 5th December , 2022.

“We are delighted to welcome on board Coach ORLANDO WELLINGTON as first team assistant coach. Welcome”, a statement on the club’s Twitter account announced.

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