Asante Kotoko head coach Eric Tinkler says his team still has plenty of work to do despite securing victory over rivals Hearts of Oak to lift the Democracy Cup.
The Porcupine Warriors defeated their arch-rivals 4–1 on penalties following a tense encounter at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium.
Goalkeeper Ibrahim Danlad emerged as the hero for Kotoko after saving two penalties to help his side claim the trophy.
The victory provides an early confidence boost for Kotoko ahead of their opening game of the 2026/27 Ghana Premier League season, when they face newcomers Debibi United on September 6 at Golden City Park in Berekum.
However, Tinkler believes the Democracy Cup triumph is only an indication of the progress his team has made since he took charge.
“When I first arrived, it wasn’t great,” he said.
The South African coach praised the club’s new signings for adapting quickly to the squad and his methods.
“But we’ve made strides going forward. The players that have come in have been received extremely well, and they have integrated very quickly.”
Despite the positive signs, Tinkler stressed that Kotoko are still developing and must improve several aspects of their game before they can fully execute his football philosophy.
“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 rebuild squad
Kotoko have been one of the busiest clubs in the transfer market as they seek to improve on their eighth-place finish in the 2025/26 Ghana Premier League campaign.
The club has brought in 12 new players as part of a major rebuilding exercise.
Among the new arrivals are returning goalkeeper Ibrahim 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 be hoping the strengthened squad can quickly develop the understanding required to compete at the highest level.
With the new league season just days away, the coach’s immediate task will be to turn the promising signs from the Democracy Cup into consistent performances as Kotoko attempt to return to the summit of Ghanaian football.
