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Bafana Bafana of South Africa legend and Asante Kotoko coach Eric Tinkler has raised concerns over the condition of football pitches in Ghana, admitting that the playing surfaces could make it difficult for his team to produce the style of football he wants.
Tinkler joined the Ghanaian giants in mid-July after being without a club following his departure from Betway Premiership side Sekhukhune United in April.
The former Orlando Pirates coach is now preparing Kotoko for the 2026/27 season, with his side set to begin their Ghana Premier League campaign away to newly promoted Debibi United on September 6.
With extensive experience coaching in South Africa, including at SuperSport United and Cape Town City, Tinkler admits the conditions in Ghana have presented a different challenge early in his tenure.
‘It becomes very, very difficult’
Speaking to the media recently Tinkler, who won the AFCON in 1996 with South Africa, pointed to the condition of some pitches as one of the factors that could affect his team’s approach, particularly given his desire to play possession-based football.
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“It’s not been easy, obviously. The conditions are very different from what you find in South Africa,” Tinkler told the media, as quoted by Modern Ghana (via Kickoff).
“We want to try and play a possession-based game and on pitches like this, it becomes very, very difficult.”
Despite his concerns, Tinkler quickly shifted the focus towards finding solutions rather than complaining about the conditions.
“What we can’t do is use it as an excuse; it’s our reality, and we have to adapt,” he added.
The experienced coach will now look to use his knowledge of the game to help Kotoko adjust to their new surroundings while building a team capable of competing at the top end of Ghanaian football.
