Sports Features of Wednesday, 22 June 2016

Source: Sheikh Tophic Sienu

Hearts’ appointment of Sergio Traguil as Youth Coach is financially senseless

Strategy Committee Chairman Vincent Sowah Odotei Strategy Committee Chairman Vincent Sowah Odotei

I was shocked to the marrow when I heard news that the New Mourinho has been appointed as the head coach of the youth team of Hearts of Oak. My shock was not as a result of his appointment in person but it’s economic aspect.

I felt disappointed for once and felt like calling Togbe to tell him he is surrounded by a bunch of blood sucking creatures who call themselves Strategy Committee members.

I have huge respect for Frank Neslon for his role as a director of the club for many years but I think on this score I will blame him for allowing such a thing to happen.

I know very well that the appointment of Sergio is only for one purpose; to replace Kenichi Yatsuhashi. But why can’t they go straight and sack the man and appoint the New Mourinho instead of being hypocritical in their dealings?

If you look at the financial analysis of bringing Sergio to coach the youth sides of the club, it does not make sense for a club like Hearts to do such business.

We are all aware that the economic aspect of our football is limited to fans trooping to the stadium for clubs to fetch some few Ghana cedis to alleviate their financial burden.

So if at the end of the day, a club appoints a coach for a Second Division side that does not pull fans to their end to be economically sensible, then why do such a business?

I am hugely disappointed in Frank Nelson and Alhaji Akanbi for allowing Odotei-Sowah to mislead Togbe in putting in too much into the club without getting back.

I keep asking myself if Odotei-Sowah will do such a business using his own money.

A source close to the Hearts Secretariat has revealed that the New Mourinho will be taking home $3500 at the end of the month.

This is the major reason for my disappointment in Frank Nelson and Alhaji Akanbi. I am singling them out because they understand the dynamics of football management than Odotei-Sowah so they shouldn’t have allowed him to go into such a venture.

How do you pay a youth team coach more than the head coach of the team?

Kenichi Yatsuhashi takes home $2000 at the end of the month and Sergio will be taking home $3500 as youth team coach?

Comparing the two, Kenichi is coaching a side that plays in the league where fans patronize matches. So even if he is given that amount, supporters will watch two home matches in a month and gate proceeds will help alleviate the cost that will be incurred in the management of the team.

Will it be the same for Sergio?

Will matches involving Auroras be watched by the fans to produce gate proceeds that can be used to mitigate the cost incurred in managing the team?

So will Odotei-Sowah use his own money to do such a business?

These are the reasons for my disappointment in Alhaji Akanbi and Frank Nelson for allowing Odotei-Sowah to take all these decisions. I know for a fact that both are not happy with the decision of bringing Sergio to coach the youth team, but why are they quiet?

We all know the economic merits of Kenichi Yatsuhashi to the club since joining in October last year.

For the first time in a season, Hearts of Oak have not realized less than GHC40,000 at the gates in a league match apart from playing behind closed-doors.

Even playing clubs like Bechem United and New Edubiase United that do not pull crowds, Hearts still took home close to GHC60,000.

So if a coach who brings this amount will be paid less than the amount given to the one who coaches the junior teams, then what economic sense does it make?

However, if Sergio’s side will bring some money into the club that can help mitigate the cost at the end of the month, fair deal.

In any case, Odotei-Sowah should not use his bad managerial style that has led to a sour relationship with Kenichi Yatsuhashi to retard the progress of the club. I remember him sacking Coach Opeele at King Faisal which led the club to relegation for the first time.

I stand to be corrected but when was the last time a Hearts foreign coach was able to attract sponsors for the technical team of the club as well as winning the club foreign fans? Hearts now have sponsors for the technical team as well as close to 300 Japanese supporters. Kenichi himself worked for those sponsors.

This is a positive step that must be worked on for better opportunities for the club instead of the attitude of trying to push away these avenues.

I am just an SHS Economics student but common sense tells me that paying Sergio Traguil $3500 a month and paying Kenichi Yatsuhashi $2000 is financially senseless.