By Bright Boabeng

Copyright ahotoronline

In a stunning development in Ghanaian football, Bibiani Gold Stars, the reigning Ghana Premier League champions, are reportedly set to appoint Dr. Prosper Narteh Ogum as their new head coach, replacing Stephen Frimpong Manso, who was abruptly dismissed following a humiliating 2-0 home defeat to Algerian side JS Kabylie in the first leg of the 2025/26 CAF Champions League preliminary round.
The match, played at the Accra Sports Stadium on September 20, 2025, exposed defensive frailties and tactical shortcomings, with JS Kabylie’s clinical finishing sealing Gold Stars’ fate despite high expectations for their continental debut.
Frimpong Manso, a former Asante Kotoko defender turned tactician, had been the architect of Gold Stars’ historic 2024/25 league triumph—the club’s first-ever GPL title. Joining the Bibiani-based outfit two seasons ago, Manso transformed them from a mid-table side into champions, blending disciplined organization with opportunistic attacking play.
His tenure began promisingly in the new season, highlighted by a 2-1 victory over Bechem United in Matchday 1 of the 2025/26 GPL.
However, the Kabylie loss—marked by first-half errors and a failure to adapt—proved to be the final straw.
The club announced Manso’s departure with immediate effect on September 22, 2025, just days after the defeat.
While the timing suggested a direct link to the African setback, Gold Stars’ management has since clarified otherwise.
Public Relations Officer Samuel Kwagyire attributed the decision to a “divergence of goals,” emphasizing that Manso’s long-term vision no longer aligned with the club’s evolving business objectives, including their ambitions in continental and commercial spheres.
CEO Akwasi Adu echoed this, insisting the move was premeditated and transcended the single loss, though he later apologized for comments that appeared to downplay Manso’s achievements, claiming they were misquoted.
Adu praised Manso as the “first coach to win us a title,” underscoring the emotional weight of the split.
At 55, Dr. Prosper Narteh Ogum brings a blend of academic rigor and tactical acumen to the role. A PhD holder in sports management and former Asante Kotoko head coach, Ogum’s career has been a rollercoaster.
He led Kotoko to the 2021/22 GPL title but was mutually parted ways with in April 2025 amid a mid-season slump, leaving the Porcupine Warriors six points adrift of leaders Gold Stars at the time.
Undeterred, Ogum channeled his energies into youth development, securing a dual role with the Ghana Football Association (GFA) in late July 2025: head coach of the U-17 national team, the Black Starlets, and Head of Coach Education.
Ogum’s current commitment adds layers of complexity to any potential move. As of September 29, 2025, he is deeply immersed in leading the Black Starlets at the ongoing 2025 WAFU Zone B U-17 Championship in Yamoussoukro, Côte d’Ivoire—a crucial qualifier for the 2025 U-17 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).