‘Coaches are not responsible for results’ – Didi Dramani defends Karim Zito after Kotoko exit

Hearts of Oak head coach Mas-Ud Didi Dramani has defended football coaches, insisting they should not be solely blamed for match results following Karim Zito’s resignation as Asante Kotoko coach.

Zito stepped down on Monday after Kotoko’s MTN FA Cup Round of 16 exit to Aduana FC, bringing his tenure to an abrupt end amid a difficult run of results.

Dramani, who previously worked with Zito at Kotoko, said the demands of modern football often place unfair pressure on coaches, particularly when teams struggle to secure positive outcomes.

The Hearts of Oak boss stressed that while coaches play a major role in shaping team performance, they cannot control every factor that influences results on the pitch.

“Coaches are not responsible for the outcomes of games. But many times they are perceived to be responsible for the outcomes of games.

"We are very much responsible for the way our teams play and for the way our teams will perform and the way they will behave. But the outcome sometimes is very difficult to control because you don't control the decision the player makes," he told Joy Sports.

Kotoko’s recent struggles have seen the club record just one win in their last six league matches, leaving them fifth on the Ghana Premier League table with 35 points, one behind Hearts of Oak.