Asante Kotoko head coach Eric Tinkler believes his side have the quality to compete for the Ghana Premier League title in the 2026/27 season.
The South African took charge of the Porcupine Warriors in July and has been using pre-season to shape a squad capable of competing for major honours.
Tinkler’s confidence follows Asante Kotoko’s victory over Heart of Lions in a friendly on Tuesday, a match that allowed him to assess his players and continue refining his plans before the new campaign begins.
The coach says the immediate priority is to ensure Kotoko perform consistently at the highest possible level throughout the league season. Although he has spoken of the importance of finishing in the top two, Tinkler also believes the Kumasi-based club have enough strength to go further and win the championship.
“We have another game on Sunday. A very important game, and then we face Hearts of Oak, and that will be our last preparatory game. It’s a cup match, but I see it as a preparatory game because the league is the most important aspect for us as a club. We want to perform at the highest level in the league. We have the materials to compete for the league, and that’s the most important thing,” Tinkler told journalists.
Asante Kotoko’s next fixture will provide another opportunity for the coach to work on his squad before the team meets arch-rivals Hearts of Oak in the Democracy Cup.
While the encounter is a competitive cup match, Tinkler regards it primarily as part of the club’s preparations for the league. The fixture will be Kotoko’s final preparatory game before the Ghana Premier League campaign begins.
The new manager arrives at a club determined to recover from a disappointing 2025/26 season. Asante Kotoko finished that campaign without a major trophy, raising expectations around Tinkler and the players as they seek a stronger return to the top of Ghanaian football.
The former South African international is expected to provide stability, discipline and a winning mentality during his first competitive season in charge. His work so far has focused on developing a competitive team and ensuring the squad is ready for the demands of a full league campaign.
For the Porcupine Warriors, the upcoming season represents another chance to restore their status among Ghana’s leading clubs. Tinkler’s stated ambition is not limited to securing a respectable position: he believes Asante Kotoko have the necessary resources to mount a serious challenge for the Ghana Premier League crown.
That belief will be tested when competitive action begins, with the club hoping their pre-season work can translate into results once the campaign is under way.
