Kotoko IMC Dissolved

Reports reaching the Soccer Express from Manhyia say the Life Patron, Owner and Spiritual Head of league champions, Kumasi Asante Kotoko, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II has refused to renew the mandate of the Interim Management Committee of the club and has rather promised a new Board by this weekend.

The decision of announcing the Board by this weekend was communicated to members of the IMC and the National Circles Executive by Otumfuo himself after separate meetings with the two bodies in the evening of Wednesday.

Nana is reported to have hinted the IMC members that he would maintain a number of them in his new team and assured the Circles leaders that after he appoints the Board, the position of Chief Executive would be advertised shortly for whoever is qualified and interested to apply for the job.

Sources close to the meetings told the Soccer Express that Otumfuo promised that the men he would appoint unto the Board would be persons the entire Kotoko fraternity would love to work with, and to ensure that the members of the Board are blameless and can command the respect and co-operation of all in Kotoko, he would subject the names to the supporters leaders for their scrutiny before coming out publicly on their appointment.

The list, according to our sources could include three members of the former board headed by Mr. P.V. Obeng and about two of the members of the outgoing IMC.

Some of the names that readily popped out of Manhyia include old guards P.V. Obeng, Yaw Gyasi, IMC Chairman Sylvester Asare Owusu and lawyer Yaw Boafo.

The decision comes much against the expectations of a large section of the Kotoko family who had hoped that the club owner would honour the IMC with a confirmed and extended mandate after seeing to Kotoko’s annexation of the league diadem, the first in 10 years.

Otumfuo had about a fortnight ago asked the IMC to hold office pending the future appointment of the Board, however hints of a break in the front of the IMC following the club’s failure to participate in the upcoming Coca Cola Top Four tournament, and an unhealthy balance sheet in the club’s finances could have hastened his desire to appoint the Board now.

The IMC is said to be divided over the club’s demand for better participation fees from Ghalca in the Top Four, for while IMC Chairman Sylvester Asare Owusu and the committee’s member in charge of Finance and Administration, George Ayisi Boateng insisted on getting the demands through before getting the club to commit itself to participate in the tournament, the rest of the team thought they should honour the tournament at Ghalca’s terms.

It is similar misunderstandings between the former Board and Management team of Herbert Mensah that saw Otumfuo throw out the two teams, almost around the same period of last year.

Meanwhile Asante Kotoko stormed the Burkinabe capital yesterday on board a special chartered flight to engage the national team, the Stallions in a special friendly match.

The delegation, which included IMC members Yaw Boafo, Alhaji Tanko and Chairman Sylvester Asare Owusu, was led by Kumasi Metropolitan Chief Executive boss Maxwell Kofi Djumah. The team included two of the club’s youthful keepers Eric Nii Baah and Mohammed Alhassan, ostensibly to give them international exposure for the club’s Champions League campaign.