Former Asante Kotoko striker, Stephen Manu has backed coach Seydou Zerbo who is currently under fire due to inconsistent results in the Ghana Premier League this season.

Manu slammed the players for not giving their all on the pitch and added that the Porcupine Warriors can't defend the league title they won last season.

The Porcupine Warriors have only won five of their eleven games, with Sunday's 1-1 draw with Great Olympics raising concerns among fans and former players.

The 1-1 draw with Oly Dade on Sunday left Kotoko in second position, but on equal points (19) and a point behind leaders Aduana Stars, who have a game in hand.

“The coach is not a problem because his tactics and formation are on point. The truth is that the performance of the boys [players] is not up to scratch. They always struggle in games. Kotoko cannot win the league with this set of players,” he told SirObed TV.

“Look at the defender [Andrews Appau] who replaced the injured [Mubarik Yussif]. A substitute player must come to the game with something different but his introduction rather worsened the performance of the team,"

"He was just lucky with the goal because I’m sure if the goal had not come things could have gone bad. His game doesn’t fit the standard of Kotoko. He is not Kotoko material,”