Soccer News of Tuesday, 23 September 2003

Source: Soccer Express

Malik Blasts Razak & IMC

The Technical Director of Kumasi Asante Kotoko, Mr. Malik Jabir has cited Liberty Professionals' Alhaji Sly Tetteh as the only soccer administrator in the country who understands the concept of Technical Directorate in football. Malik said his position of Technical Director is akin to what pertains in England and which the French refer to as Team Manager. "Technical Directors normally have a bigger influence in the team selection and tactics and conduct training sessions with the teams regularly," Malik said.

The former Board member of Kotoko who was speaking to the media in Obuasi last Sunday stated emphatically "everything is wrong in Kotoko."

Malik said apart from virtually being ignored by head coach, Abdul Razak the IMC has also failed to call the coach to order.

According to the Kotoko Technical Director, Razak has failed to draw up a single training programme since he was appointed, describing it as disturbing phenomenon.

"I am waiting for the return of the management to hold talks with them," Malik disclosed.

Asked why he had failed to voice out his concerns all this while the former player, coach and board member of Kotoko said "after my appointment as the technical director, all what people were saying was what Malik should not do, but not what he should do."

Malik said he was happy the IMC left him out of the Kigali trip to please Razak who had stated was more comfortable with his assistant, Frimpong Manso. Malik, who has also had several stints with the various national soccer teams, said he had been compelled to speak out publicly on the current matters due to the recent public references that he had been a failure at Kotoko due to the poor league outings as well as the exit from the Cup Winners Cup.

"The same people failed to make references to the Technical Director when the team was winning in the GHALCA Top Four competition," he questioned, promising to speak out his mind in the coming days.