Abdulai Gazale, the former Asante Kotoko assistant coach and current head of Northern City, has shed light on the rift between him and his former boss Prosper Narteh Ogum, which ultimately led to his departure from the club.
Gazale, who joined Kotoko in 2019 as an assistant coach to Maxwell Konadu, found himself in a challenging situation when Ogum expressed his unwillingness to work with him again for reasons that were not initially disclosed.
Despite being left to handle the club’s youth side after Konadu’s exit, Gazale temporarily took charge of the first team during the mid-season of the campaign following the dismissal of Seydou Zerbo.
Speaking to Tamale-based Sagani TV, Gazale revealed the details of what transpired between him and Ogum during training sessions that prompted him to resign from his position before the start of the previous season.
According to Gazale, senior players in the team had informed him that Ogum’s demeanor would change whenever Gazale corrected their mistakes during training sessions. Despite initially dismissing these claims, Gazale eventually realized the truth behind the rumors.
As the situation escalated, Gazale noticed that he was being excluded from training program planning sessions by Ogum and the other assistants. Feeling isolated and unsupported, Gazale decided to approach club CEO Nana Yaw Amponsah with a request to step down from his position.
Although Amponsah initially rejected his resignation, the strained relationship between Gazale and Ogum ultimately led to Gazale’s decision to stop attending training sessions before Ogum could officially express his inability to work with him any longer.
The unfortunate turn of events between Gazale and Ogum highlights the challenges that can arise within coaching staff dynamics, even within elite football clubs like Asante Kotoko.
