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The road to 'stepping aside' as Kotoko manager

Ghana Premier League club Asante Kotoko have asked coach David Duncan to step aside due to their poor performances this season and we take a look at Duncan's league output since joining the club

That feat however did not warrant a pardon when his Asante Kotoko side started the 2014/2015 season poorly.

Mas’ud Didi Dramani won the Ghana Premier League in his first season after taking over from Black Stars assistant coach Maxwell Konadu who left the Kumasi based club as Champions in Ghana too.

So for former Hearts of Oak manager David Duncan, the entire Ghana football loving body knew it was coming. Not after the rumours had escalated quickly than expected with Tom Strand of Medeama SC finding his way to make the headlines as the next manager to take over Kumasi Asante Kotoko.

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The club had lost their Ghana Premier League game against Aduana Stars on match day 6, their third defeat out of six games that saw them lie rock bottom on the log.

The statement read:

“Management has asked Coach David Duncan to step aside until further notice and with immediate effect

“The decision has become necessary after the club’s abysmal performance in the ongoing Ghana Premier League where Kotoko lies an unprecedented last position on the league table with five points.

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“Assistant Coach Michael Osei takes over as head of the technical team in the interim. Management further apologises to the teeming fans of the club for the performance displayed so far.”

Well, that is some way to sack a coach. Stepping aside with immediate effect and apology to fans always has one end: coach is never coming back.

David Duncan saw through it all and made a decision of fire me or I stay and stay did he when he showed up on training the following day with no player to train.

So how did it get to this point?

David Duncan’s first league game as manager of Kotoko was away at Bechem United where he won by three goals to one. The team beat Liberty Professionals in their first home game under Duncan before the results turned average.

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In Duncan’s next 10 league games after the home win against Liberty professionals, the former Hearts of Oak manager only won three times. The next ten games after that had improved results with a 50 percent win rate.

Fast forward to the 2015/2016 Ghana Premier League season and it has been torture for fans of the Kumasi based club.

David Duncan’s team was beaten on their opening Premier League game at WAFA. Koto recorded two draws against Medeama SC and Ashati Gold at home before they were sent packing from Berekum Chelsea with a 2-0 loss.

At this point the club’s performance was being put side by side with their worst ever start in the history of the club. That is something Duncan might not have liked.

A home win against Hasaacas who had also been very poor in the campaign calmed things down only to be ignited by what seemed and seems to be Duncan’s last game as manager of Ghana Premier League club Kumasi Asante Kotoko, a 1-0 defeat away at Aduana Stars.

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In his 26 league games as manager of Asante Kotoko, David Duncan has won 12, drawn six and lost eight.

A manager’s performance is mostly graded on league games as cup games are a bit tricky.

For David Duncan, ‘stepping aside’ is not a part of his contract outlines and is not ready to go down without a fight. He showed up in training in the aftermath of the ‘stepping aside’ statement, he has hit back at management of Kotoko claiming he is not to blame for the club’s abysmal performances this season.

The situation is getting tasty by the day for the neutrals and fingers crossed for the final outcome. David Duncan to step down as Kotoko mananger, will he or will he not?

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