HEARTS OF OAK IN TURMOIL ...As NCC Cum Board Meeting Ends in Fiasco
Already saddled with a debilitating ¢19 billion debt burden, former Africa Champions Hearts of Oak, said to be owned by the Nettey families and two NDC greats, Professor J.E.A. Mills and Mr. Ato Ahwoi is in yet another crisis, as major cracks emanating from internal strife threatens its existence. Early last week when the flaming fire was at its peak following a demonstration by an aggrieved gang of supporters, a counter bunch of coup stoppers were also sent into battle to diffuse the break-neck tension. The ethos of the demonstration was that board chairman of the club Commodore Mensah who, in the dying embers of the 1990s abandoned the club following a chase by irate supporters, had shirked responsibility and wilted under pressure from the Council of Patrons to appoint one photocopier seller, Vincent Sowah Odotei as CEO of the club.
THE SUN can confirm that, the Hearts of Oak constitution mandates the board of directors of the club to appoint the administrative head yet, this time, obviously unable to stay firm yet again, Commodore Mensah passed on the responsibility which was said to have been seized upon by Mrs. Aanaa Ennin, one-time member of ex-President J. J. Rawlings, PNDC. Aanaa arrived at a board cum patrons meeting and announced Sowah Odotei as the CEO. Following that, spontaneous bouts of anger began to work the hell out of the system of protesters, until they converged at the club’s Secretariat to register their misgivings last week.
One worried protester Wofa Yaw Amponsah, a former vice chairman of the club’s supporters’ umbrella body the National Chapters Committee and now an executive member thought, the appointment of Sowah Odotei was going to be a serious drawback on the ability of the club to perform in the coming season. Wofa Amponsah who resides at Kade believes that, while other clubs were recruiting quality players, Sowah Odotei a financial dwarf has been talking and fidgeting with his lap-top computer, when indeed football is not about miniature PCs.
The NCC capo has gained support from Mr. Alhassan Maako Mohammed whose 12 years service in the Committee, makes him the most experienced of the lot of 15 or so officials. Alhassan thinks Commodore Mensah suffers from a diarrhea of indecision, and lacks confidence with the manner he conducts affairs as board chairman unlike the immediate past board chairman Mr. Ahwoi. “The biggest mistake Hearts of Oak’s delegates did was to appoint a large board of directors and make Commodore the chairman,” an obviously irritated and furious Alhassan told THE SUN.
According to him, any capable hand on the board chairmanship seat must have the wherewithal to run the affairs of the club professionally. But THE SUN gathered that in as much as there seems to be a torpedo of the coup, there is only an uneasy calm before an upcoming mammoth protestation kicks off the ground yet again. Just last Saturday, the NCC called a nationwide meeting of supporters meeting at the Hearts Secretariat where tempers flew so high and waywardly, as fans shouted for the ousting of NCC chairman, Alhaji Moro Akabi whom they perceive to be in the pay of Commodore Mensah and Vincent Odotei, from office. In the end the meeting ended in a fiasco..
Furious shot-callers within the high echelons of the club figure in the fibre of their being that, photocopier supplier Vincent Odotei could be the one to partner Commodore to send the club to relegation for the very first time, if the brakes are not pulled on them. Last week, THE SUN learnt first-hand how a purported appointment letter from the Secretariat, supposed to be intended for Odotei was frozen much to the annoyance of the former PHOBIA CLUB 50 gentleman who scored zero marks in the hunt for the GFA presidency.
Phobian tongues continue to wag over the issue as key fans of the club fail to understand just why the beleaguered board chairman, failed to heed a piece of advice said to have been provided him by Mr. Ahwoi on a certain Friday. But even more pained at heart are those of the protesters who have not stopped forgiving board Secretary Mr. Ernest Thompson for allegedly introducing Mr. Odotei to mainstream Hearts of Oak affairs. “We love Mr. Thompson for all he has done for the club, but feel hurt that he brought this man, a member of the protesters shouted to THE SUN on demonstration day at Hearts Secretariat. Throughout last week, an obviously bothered KWAKU ADUSEI of Kumasi also known as KA NA WU, spent precious time dissecting the hellish moment in the club only to be threatened with being dragged to court by the troubled action.. THE SUN has discovered that one of the major reasons why Mr. Odotei’s appointment is being kicked against is that, he is being suspected of having lined up in his administration a talkative who has failed to achieve any set goals. Yet again, he is being suspected of desiring to bring over a taboo name in the club’s circles.
Meanwhile Mr. Harry Zakkour, without a doubt the most successful chairman in the club’s history has resigned as chairman of the Recruitment Committee. It is believed that all players he enticed have been asked to leave his stable because, he is said to have seen through the trick of being made to use his resources to recruit while someone else assumed the chairmanship. Independent investigations into the Hearts of Oak matter is that several supporters including the board chairman have regretted abrogating the mandate given Political Economist cum Journalist Mr. Stephen Akwetey, who was appointed at the beginning of the last soccer season and had his appointment terminated only after five or so matches.
But at the time of going to press, the board of directors were said to be so concerned that a meeting was held at their instance, which was pitifully attended by only five of their number.
The hydra-headed question at the present time is, will Hearts be able to solve its internal strife, or continue with the in-fighting and head towards relegations? This remains a billion-cedi question skin-on-skull disciples of the club need to put in their pipe and smoke.
