Soccer News of Monday, 18 February 2002

Source: Africa Sports

"I won't seek a fresh mandate - Hearts Board Chairman

The Chairman of the Board of Director of Accra Hearts Sporting Club Ltd, Mr Ato Ahwoi, has indicated that he will not seek a fresh mandate as the board chairman once the club goes to congress. It is still unclear when the club will go to congress, as certain legal matters would first have to be sorted out.

But Mr Ahwoi stressed in an interview with his radio station Radio Gold monitored by sports bi-weekly Africa Sports that he believed Hearts needed an injection of fresh ideas to meet the requirement of the 21st century.

“Having been in office for the last five years or so I believe we must be running out of ideas. Football is a dynamic game and Hearts in particular is becoming bigger and bigger. It is time to inject some fresh ideas and some dynamism”, Mr Ahwoi said.

Asked whether youngsters like Kojo Twum-Boafo, Neil Armstrong, Fiifi Forson or Ato Quagraine would occupy the vacant position of the chief executive, Mr Ahwoi said these are not the only young ones in Hearts.

From Tamale, Kumasi, Sunyani and Accra, there are lots of young men desirous of taking up the mantle. We shall consider all the applications and settle for the best, he explained. Mr Ahwoi further stressed that the new chief executive would have to do the job on full-time basis and explore avenues to generate revenue for the club.

“Kotoko and Hearts should generate their own funds and not rely on individuals to fund them. That is what we are stressing, hence the need to employ somebody on full-time basis. The board will only be responsible for policy direction and general supervision,” he said.