Stick to your traditional status – Kwabena Agyapong to Ghanaian clubs

Ghanaians clubs whose formation and existence are premised on their strong ties with their fanbase and communities of establishment and operation have been urged to stick to their traditional status.

Kwabena Agyepong, a leading member of the New Patriotic Party and a one-time sports journalist has advised the club not to trade their traditional status for a different style of ownership.

He said that some clubs are struggling because there is no connection between them and their communities.

Kwabena Agyepong said that one of the reasons supporters do not fill game venues lately is because they do not feel attached to the clubs.

“Traditional clubs in Ghana must stay traditional. Ghanaian clubs must have an organic links with the communities to succeed. This is one thing our local football is lacking. We don't know where our traditional clubs are now and it's something eating deep into the fiber of our local Football” he is quoted to have said on Kumasi-based Oyerepa FM.

“A reason spectators don't troop to the stadium, I watch my own Kotoko and we can't fill the stadium in Kumasi, what? These traditional clubs have their umbilical cords attached to the communities, that's where they draw their adrenaline from.”

Over a decade ago, Accra Hearts of Oak took a decision to move from being a ‘traditional club’ which was managed by supporters to becoming a corporate institution owned by a group of persons.

The flotation of shares saw Togbe Afede emerge as the de-facto owner of the club, a situation many has blamed as the reason for the club’s failure in recent years.

Kwabena Agyapong believes that it was a wrong move and that the true owners of the club who he claims are Ga Mashie should rise up and take back their club.

“The one-man teams taking over has taken the shine out of our game and we need to look at it again. I hear Hearts of Oak is now for a person which shouldn't be so, the Hearts of Oak I know is for Ga mashie and I will urge Ga mashie to reclaim and take over what is theirs. The Olympics, RTU,Okwahu, Akotex etc. Who are traditional are the kind of clubs we need in our league to draw the necessary ambience and support at match centres.