The Porcupine Warriors deputy coach has insisted that only a handful of the current crop of players will remain part of his plans should he be given the mandate
Asante Kotoko assistant coach Johnson Smith has revealed that a lot of the players at the club currently don’t deserve to stay on ahead of the new season.
Kotoko, after a difficult campaign where four coaches were used, ended the season trophyless as they finished second behind Hearts of Oak and got eliminated in the quarterfinals of the FA Cup by Berekum Chelsea.
Although, a lot of the players’ contracts have run out including midfielder Augustine Okrah and defender Wahab Adams, reports suggest that captain Felix Annan has tendered in transfer request while Habib Mohammed and Ismail Abdul Ganiu’s contracts are coming to an end.
However, Smith believes this isn’t a course to worry since majority of the players would not be retained if he is given the opportunity to be in charge of recruitment for the new season.
“If I’m to be allowed to do my own recruitment and assessment with this current Kotoko team, only four (4) of the current players excluding the goalkeepers will stay,” Smith told West End Radio.
Kotoko is believed to be planning for the new season without head coach Mariano Barreto since his media war with the club’s management team and chief executive officer Nana Yaw Amponsah in particular.