Former Ghana and Bayern Munich ace, Samuel Osei Kuffour, is being considered for the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) role at Asante Kotoko with majority of the club’s Board of Directors demanding the termination of Nana Yaw Amponsah’s contract.
Before the appointment of Mr Amponsah as the CEO of the club, Mr Kuffour was heavily considered for the vacant job.
However, Mr Kuffour could not get the job because majority of the Board of Directors had then settled on Mr Amponsah as the new CEO after George Amoako-led management was dissolved.
Asante Kotoko, record Ghana Premier League winners, have dominated the headlines for the wrong reasons for the past months under Mr Amponsah’s management.
Despite securing some mind-boggling sponsorship deals in less than a year under his auspices as the CEO of the Porcupine Warriors, Mr Amponsah has come under intense pressure for the past weeks due to his leadership style as it has been described by some deep throat sources of the club as unsatisfactory.
One key figure who crusaded for Mr Amponsah’s appointment was Dr Kofi Amoa-Abban who is a friend to the former Phar Rangers president since their days at Mfantsipim College through to the University of Ghana. But reports indicte that Mr Amponsah is having a rocky relationship with the Rigworld Group boss.
Following the inauguration of the Board of Directors, Mr Abban tweeted that the club will soon put together their television channel which will carry out their activities.
It would be recalled that Mr Abban dashed out a Toyota Prado to Mr Amponsah and a Toyota Fortuna to then head coach of the club, Maxwell Konadu.
However, Mr Amponsah, as part of his demands, asked for a V8 vehicle but not a Toyota Prado. He then resorted to some board members and complained to them that the car offered to him is below his standard as the CEO of the club.
This statement did not go down well with some Board Members.
There is also a rift between Mr Amponsah and Boateng Genfi. This rift emerged after Mr Genfi granted an interview with Graphic Sports.
Sources in the club have indicated that Mr Amponsah was unhappy and cautioned Mr Mr Genfi not to grant an interview without his approval.
At a board meeting following the sacking of Maxell Konadu, Mr Genfi questioned Mr Amponsah on why he sacked the former Black Stars B coach without informing the Board of Directors but Mr Amponsah questioned Mr Genfi’s knowledge citing that at Manchester United, Ed Woodward who is the Chief Executive Officer takes the decision on the future of the coach and not the Glazers.
This utterance did not obviously go down well with the board.
However, Mr Amponsah days later, regretted his actions and his attitude towards Mr Genfi and wanted to move to offer him an apology since he knows the role Mr Genfi played before his appointment. However, Mr Genfi has declined to meet Mr Amponsah.
The leadership style of the young administrator has been questioned by the Board with majority crusading for the termination of his contract.
Ahead of Kotoko’s Caf Champions League game against Al Hilal in Omdurman, the players threatened to boycott the game if their unpaid entitlements were not paid before the game.
The management hurriedly moved to settle the debt to avoid any embarrassment in Sudan.
The match was subsequently called off after seven players and four officials tested positive for Covid-19.
Players of Kotoko have, however, demanded to meet the entire Board over the leadership style of Mr Amponsah when they arrive in Ghana from Sudan.
Before the departure of the team for the game, it was reported that Mr Amponsah was having a rocky relationship with the Board Chairman Dr Kwame Kyei which has currently created a communication vacuum.
The Board of Directors was furious after coach Konadu was sacked by Mr Amponsah without seeking approval from the board as Footballghana.com had reported earlier.
But in an interview with Kumasi based Oyerepa FM, the 2019 Ghana Football Association presidential candidate admitted he was wrong.
Mr Kuffour, who is now on the radar to take up the role, made 54 appearances for Ghana, scoring three goals and played at four AFCON tournaments and was part of Ghana’s maiden FIFA World Cup squad in 2006.
Messrs Genfi and Abban were the two key pillars who crusaded for Mr Amponsah’s appointment but they seem to have regretted settling on him for the job but with the current situation at the club, Mr Amponsah future looks unclear and it’s possible the Board will now go in for their man in the name of Mr Kuffour for the CEO job.
Mr Amponsah was awarded a three-year deal as the CEO of the club by the Board of Directors.