Asante Kotoko head coach Eric Tinkler has voiced serious reservations about the state of football pitches in Ghana, cautioning that poor playing surfaces could undermine his ambition to establish a possession-based style at the club.

Tinkler, a Bafana Bafana legend who won the Africa Cup of Nations with South Africa in 1996, took charge of the Ghanaian club in mid-July. He arrived after parting ways with Sekhukhune United — a Betway Premiership outfit — in April.

A different challenge from South Africa

The former Orlando Pirates and Cape Town City coach, who also had a stint at SuperSport United, acknowledged that conditions in Ghana differ sharply from what he encountered throughout his coaching career in South Africa.

"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."

No excuses — adapt and move forward

Despite his frustration, Tinkler was quick to rule out using the conditions as an excuse, insisting that his squad must find ways to cope.

"What we can't do is use it as an excuse; it's our reality, and we have to adapt," he added.

Kotoko are set to open their 2026/27 Ghana Premier League season on September 6, travelling to face newly promoted Debibi United in their opening fixture. Tinkler will be hoping his side can find the cohesion and adaptability needed to challenge at the top end of Ghanaian football, regardless of the surfaces they face.