Asante Kotoko head coach Eric Tinkler says his side remains a work in progress despite lifting the Democracy Cup with a victory over rivals Hearts of Oak.
The Porcupine Warriors edged their arch-rivals in a 4-1 penalty shootout after a tense encounter at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium, with goalkeeper Ibrahim Danlad emerging as the hero by saving two spot-kicks.
The win provides a confidence boost ahead of Kotoko’s opening match of the 2026/27 Ghana Premier League season against newcomers Debibi United on 6 September at Golden City Park in Berekum.
But Tinkler believes the result is only an early sign of progress as he continues to reshape the squad.
“When I first arrived, it wasn’t great,” he told the press.
“But we’ve made strides going forward. The players that have come in have been received extremely well, and they have integrated very quickly.”
The South African coach cautioned that significant improvements are still needed before his side can fully implement his ideas.
“But it’s still a work in progress; there are still a lot of things that we need to improve on, in terms of synchronicity, understanding, philosophy, discipline and what I call the fundamentals.”
Kotoko have been among the busiest clubs in the transfer market, bringing in 12 new players as they look to rebuild after finishing eighth in the 2025/26 league campaign.
The new arrivals include returning goalkeeper Danlad, Ivorian centre-back Koffi Marius Ange Bini, Burkina Faso midfielder Abdoul Kader Tarnagda, Cameroonian midfielder Solomon Nsor Asaah and Moroccan goalkeeper Abdel Wadie Mourad.
Tinkler will hope those additions can help Kotoko mount a stronger challenge this season as they seek to return to the summit of Ghanaian football.
