Injured Kuffuor fails to make trip
Kotoko board out on January
15
Accra
(Greater Accra) 02 January 2002 - A Board of Directors to steer the affairs of
Kumasi Asante Kotoko is to be announced within the next three weeks to stem
mounting agitation within the ranks of the club.
But the source at the Kotoko Secretariat in
Kumasi disclosed on Monday that there is still some disagreement over the
criteria for selecting the board members, according to the Graphic Sports.
While a hardcore coalition, opposed to the
status quo, are lobbying for a return to the old ways, where the Asantehene, in
consultation with various stakeholders, appointed representatives from
constituents such as the Old Players Association (Akopa), Kotoko Ladies, the
Circles (supporters), Chiefs and Patrons, an equally strong lobby is on for
other considerations.
The latter group, which endorses the process of
change under the direction of Executive Board Chairman, Herbert Mensah, wants
the premium to be on a member’s ability to pay from his own resources an agreed
sum towards the financial demands of the task ahead.
Figures around ¢50 million are being quoted for
each director towards the task of recruiting new players, payment of bonuses
and salaries and the herculean campaign for the Africa Cup Winners Cup.
With the financial burden involved in running
modern day football, believers in the Kotoko rebuilding agenda of Herbert
strongly object to the idea of a nominal board that would call the shots
without any corresponding financial obligation.
They are firm in their belief that the only way
of getting their concept of resourceful men on board, is to enable the
incumbent chairman play a key role in the selection of the board members.
All these are vehemently opposed by the
anti-Herbert group who claim that the current chairman’s strongman-style of
leadership does not allow for transparency and accountability. They argue that
in a system where one man who does not countenance opposing views appoints
other members, there would be no motivation to invest money without assurance
of knowing how it is used.
They cite past experience to argue that with
proper policy direction and sound management, Kotoko can be run as a viable
enterprise without the need for any external infusion of capital.
To reconcile the two hard positions, Otumfuo
Osei Tutu II, the Spiritual head of the club, is to endorse a new board for the
club on January 15.
Some of the names disclosed to the Graphic
Sports on Monday include Osei Kwame Despite, an Accra-based businessman, Mr
Kesse, Yaw Gyasie, Boadu Nkansah, Wilberforce Kwadwo Mfum, a former Kotoko and
Black Stars player, Mr George Amoako, Edwin Addo, Alhaji Sannie, and the
current Board Chairman, Herbert Mensah.
GRi…/
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Bayern Munich defender, Samuel Osei Kuffuor,
who is scheduled to join his colleagues in Egypt for Friday’s international
friendly against the Pharaohs in Cairo failed to honour coach Osam-Duodu’s
invitation due to a thigh injury he is currently nursing.
Kufuor returned home from Germany with a thigh
injury he suffered during a recent league game in the Bundesliga. And as the
Stars head coach was expecting to see him in action against the Egyptians after
accepting to receive him back into the provisional squad for Mali 2002, Kuffuor
was said to have sought official permission to work on his thigh injury to
avoid aggravating it.
A Graphic Sports story said sources close to
the player indicated that the Bayern Munich star, who is on the threshold of
winning the Africa Best Player award, is currently on a daily training regimen
to ensure a speedy recovery in order to join his colleagues.
According to the sources, Kuffuor has given a
firm assurance of featuring for the Stars in their final trial match against
Benin in Accra on January 11.
Coach Osam-Duodu signalled for travel
arrangements to be made to enable Kuffuor join the team in Egypt after the
Minister of Youth and Sports, Hon Edward Osei Kwaku, had briefed him on an
earlier discussion with the player in respect of recent problems over the
captaincy and preparations for Mali 2002.
However, all efforts to contact Kuffuor on
phone to confirm the story proved futile. Meanwhile, Osam-Duodu will be the
center of attraction this weekend as Ghanaians eagerly look forward to his
final team for CAN 2002.
In exactly three days from hence, the veteran
coach is expected to name a 22-man squad, which will represent the nation in
the high profile biennial continental parade in Mali. As he had earlier
indicated, the list will be released after the Stars penultimate build-up trial
against the Pharaohs of Egypt at the Cairo National Stadium on Friday.
With such a huge responsibility hanging upon
his head at this crucial moment, Osam-Duodu can certainly not be envied by
anybody. This is especially so in view of the fact that he has as many as 38
determined players to choose from. What even makes the task quite daunting is
the high level of competition for positions among the players.
In spite of these challenges, coupled with the
high expectation among Ghanaians to see certain players in the final list, the
veteran coach does not seem perturbed in the least. In a recent interview
before the team’s departure to Spain for the friendly against the Basque
Country XI, which the Stars lost 2-3, he played down the fact that selecting
the final team will be any bother to him.
In an apparent psychological gimmick to defuse
the looming tension, Osam-Duodu revealed that after having been in the coaching
business for year, he already had an idea as to those who will comprise the
final squad.
According to him he had a monitoring system in
place for invited foreign-based players while working on the locals in camp.
That notwithstanding, the fact still remains that the task of getting in place
a formidable squad from the lot will be no easy assignment for Osam-Duodu and
his assistant, Francis Oti-Akenteng.
Currently, the list of foreign-based in the
team stands at 18, in addition to 20 locals. However, some casualties cannot be
ruled out from the local component especially, where the Stars handlers made
their intentions clear in some earlier friendlies where about 11 players
featured prominently.
GRi…/
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