Coach Bash leaves Lions for Power

...as Ahiakpor rubbishes his achievement
Accra, April 1, GNA - Triumphant coach Bashiru Hayford who guided Kpando Heart of Lions for their first ever silver wear-- the Coca Cola Top Four crown-- has left the club barely a month after the feat to lowly Power F/C on what officials say is "a leave without pay contract".

The coach had no contract with the team he masterminded to place second in the southern sector of last season's structured GT premier league and later overpowered Hearts of Oak, Real Tamale United (RTU) and King Faisal to clinch the GHALCA Top Four title.

In spite of his achievement, the founder and bankroller of the Kpando club, Victor Ahiakpor, apparently irked by the coach's departure has rubbished his feat saying that the club could do without him.

"You pressmen think Bashiru is indispensable and the architect of the club's success. Look I just don't want to waste my time talking about that. I'm taking over the club as the new coach from this season and I promise you we will play better football, mark my words", the fuming CEO told the GNA sports.

Neither the coach nor Ahiakpor could say whether or not there is a bad blood between them.

But Hayford who signed a two-year renewable contract with Power on Thursday and is scheduled to fully take charge from Monday has expressed shock at his former employer's statement.

He told the GNA Sports he had given prior notice to his former boss on grounds of job security since he did not have a contract with the club. The coach, also an employee of the Ghana Education Service as a Physical Education tutor of the Tema Technical Institute has also received some bashing from the school's authorities which apparently necessitated his resignation from the Kpando club.

The school has accused him of reneging on his responsibility since moving to Kpando and has not been able to raise a formidable team for the school to participate in the inter-schools and colleges soccer competition.

Coach Hayford told the GNA Sports that by accepting to coach Power, which trains at the Tema Sports Stadium, he could combine effectively his teaching career and coaching.