RTU’s relegation: Management is not to be blamed

Real Tamale United's relegation from the 2023/24 Ghana Premier League has been a topic of much debate and speculation. However, the true reasons for their demotion have finally been unveiled, shedding light on the factors that have contributed to their downfall.

Relegations are a harsh reality in the world of sports, and no team is immune to the possibility of being demoted to a lower league.

One of the main reasons for RTU's relegation is poor performance on the field. Despite their history of success in the past, the team has struggled to maintain their level of play in recent years. Their lackluster performance in key matches and their inability to secure crucial victories have ultimately led to their relegation.

Another factor that has contributed to RTU's relegation is financial instability. Like many clubs, RTU relies on gate proceeds over the years and individual support to run the club.

However, poor financial management and a lack of investment in the team have left RTU struggling to stay afloat. Without the necessary resources to strengthen their squad and support their players, the team has found it difficult to compete with other teams in the league.

RTU’s financial crisis became a thing of the past after the new CEO, Mr. Zakaria Safianu, fully took charge of the club not long ago.

According to reports, Mr. Zakaria has been the sole sponsor of the team even before being appointed as the Chief Executive Officer of the Club.

He decided to come in and help the club at a time when the club was no longer in a position to travel and play their remaining matches in the second round of the betPawa Premier League.

His intervention has brought stability to the club, and many of its challenges were resolved, except for the players' 6-month salary arrears. His arrangement with the club was not his responsibility to pay because those arrears span out of three administrations: notably, Mr. Kasim's administration, Karim Star Boy's administration, and Jawhari's administration. Those 6-month salary arrears, according to my source, are being worked on by the current acting board chair of the club, Chief Pishigu Lana, before the players boycotted the remaining two matches.

The decision of the players to boycott the remaining two matches was unquestionable, poor judgment, and faceless individuals within the club with vested interests to see the club fail instigated the players not to back down on their demand.

RTU faced challenges beyond their control that hindered their ability to avoid relegation, and it would be unfair to blame the current management for factors that may have contributed to the team’s relegation.

Even though management plays a key role in setting strategies, making decisions, and providing guidance, it ultimately falls on the entire team - including players, coaching staff, and management - to work together towards a common goal.

Relegation is a collective failure that should prompt reflection and improvement from players, coaching staff, and management.

While it is easy to point fingers at management for RTU’s relegation, it is important to consider the various factors that may have contributed to the team’s relegation.

The relegation of RTU has been the result of a combination of factors, including poor performance, financial instability, and internal conflicts.

In my candid opinion, what actually happened within the club is a blessing in disguise that has now presented the club a rare opportunity to restructure the entire club and regain its glory in the Ghana Premier League, as the pride of the North.

It was shocking to the ears that at the time when the management of the club was struggling to finance the team's remaining matches and agitation by players for their salary arrears, the vice president, who is the proud son of the land, was looking on while he went to Kumasi to donate GH¢500,000 to a national team, the Black Stars, who didn’t need that money.

The vice president can do the people of the north and, for that matter, Dagbon a huge favor by securing a headline sponsor for the club instead of giving them a handout, which is not enough to play more than two matches and is not sustainable. His position as the second gentleman of the land has given him the rare opportunity to do this to save the club, and his name will be written in the annals of history as the man who helped to rebirth RTU.

The corrections made were to ensure proper subject-verb agreement, correct tense usage, and to improve sentence structure for clarity. If you need further assistance or another type of edit, feel free to ask!