Asante Kotoko SC have announced former Black Stars trainer Mariano Barretto Jeronimo as the club’s new head coach with immediate effect.

The Portuguese has arrived safely in Ghana to replace Maxwell Konadu who was dismissed in December 2020.

Abdul Gazele and Johnson Smith took over on an interim basis.

The 64-year-old handled the Ghana national team from February 2004 to September 2006 where he started the 2006 World Cup qualifications campaign.

Barreto has also coached the Ethiopian national team between April 2014 and March 2015.

The last team he coached was Lithuanian giants FC Stumbras and has handled several other clubs in Europe and in Asia.