Sports News of Thursday, 29 March 2012

Source: GNA

‘Kotoko destabilized by FIFA’s order’ - Bukarson

The Management of Kumasi Asante Kotoko has been forced into a crisis meeting later Thursday to discuss the fall out of the Federation of International Football Association's (FIFA) order to pay 99,000 Euros to their former Coach, Hans Dieter Schmidt.

The Premier League leaders feel destabilized by the order, according to Listowell Bukarson, Public Relations Officer (PRO) of Asante Kotoko.

“We are very destabilized by the FIFA order and we should be meeting this evening to deliberate on it. It is impossible to look on unconcerned.”

The world soccer governing body has ordered Kotoko to pay the German trainer 99,000 Euros within the next 30-days or risk being relegated to the second-tier.

“We will be meeting later today (Thursday) to find the best possible way to have this problem solved as soon as possible".**

Schmidt, sacked by Kotoko in 2005 sought redress from FIFA in a seven-year battle to earn the compensation.

Kotoko per the ruling must also pay the 64-year old coach additional 11,000 Swiss Francs (9,100 Euros) as legal charges accumulated over the seven-year period.

Chief Executive Officer of the Club at the time, Major (Rtd) Yaw Larsen said that Schmidt was fired for insubordination.

Kotoko sacked the German claiming he had breached a number of clauses in his contract days after the Club was beaten in their Confederation Cup final match.

Kotoko lost 7-8 on penalties after the two-legged tie had ended 2-2 on aggregate.

Before the game, coach Schmidt had boasted that only a miracle would deliver the trophy to sworn rivals, Hearts of Oak after both drew 1-1 of the first leg in the maiden Confederation Cup played in Accra.**