Soccer News of Tuesday, 4 February 2003

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Herbert Reacts To Kotoko Sacking

The former Chief Executive of Asante Kotoko has spoken for the first time about his dismissal from Kotoko.

Herbert who was dismissed by Asantehene and life patron of the club Otumfuo Osei Tutu last together with his management team and board of Directors wrote in his Kotoko Express Column that he has no problem with Otumfuo?s decision.

Herbert has been philosophical about the changes effected by the Otumfuo in Kotoko saying change is invariably inevitable and natural. He declares himself a man who welcomes change and insists he welcomes the opportunity to do other things and for other people.

His four years at Kotoko was about the most eventful in the last ten years for the club. He became chief executive after several days of protest by Kotoko fans and repaid the faith with a vibrant style of management that reinforced the belief that Kotoko is the best supported club in Ghana.

But as the years went by without a major trophy, the disaffected ones found their voices. They started looking more closely at the income and expenditure of the club and wondered how Kotoko could depend so much on what we were told was the benevolence of Herbert.

High profile public disagreements with almost everyone who matters in Ghana football from sports ministers, national coaches, referees, fa bosses and the legendary abedi pele did little to win over the skeptics.

But Herbert insist he leaves Kotoko without any regrets. He suggests that he has done a good job and is confident that the club would do better this year given the value added over the years. Herbert ends his article by quoting various biblical verses on the need to be thankful and why human beings find it difficult being thankful.

A cartoon that accompanies his article shows a collapsed Kotoko fans being wheeld to the Okomfo Anokye Hospital on hearing that the Herbert led management has been dissolved.