Kuffour’s future with Kotoko
“The people you meet on your way up are the same people you meet on your way down”, so says the sages. How I wish Samuel Osei Kuffour would take a cue from this old saying.
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As the former Black Stars and Bayern Munich defender waits on the sidelines to be given the nod to assume the reins of Kumasi Asante Kotoko, I will advise him to take it easy and tread cautiously. My reasons are not far-fetched.
The Kotoko job is so sensitive, and so high are the expectations among the great porcupine family that Kuffour cannot afford to start on a wrong footing. That is why the brouhaha which has characterised his supposed appointment by the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, in the past fortnight is quite disturbing.
Contrary to an earlier speculation that he (Kuffour) had been given the greenlight to take over Kotoko as the executive board chairman or president, as he himself claimed in an interview following his meeting with the Otumfuo at his Manhyia palace barely two weeks ago, a thick cloud of uncertainty still hangs over his appointment. And since last Friday’s official announcement that never was, Manhyia’s silence over the issue has been simply loud, giving room for all manner of speculations.
Dominant among the bickerings is the school of thought that suggests that Otumfuo might have been upset by Kuffuor’s decision to go public before being officially named as the heir-apparent by Manhyia, in line with tradition. Yet another theory insists that Kuffour didn’t err in any way since he might have enough grounds to justify what he did, especially where he alone is privy to what Otumfuo told him on that fateful day. Whatever it is, only time will tell.
As to whether Kuffour can do the job or not is not for me to say. Every debate on the matter will remain an assumption until he is given the chance to show what he can do. As I stand in the middle, I would give both sides of the divide the benefit of the doubt.
As a former international who played to the highest level for both club and country, he could possibly use that rich background and his numerous contacts in the game to transform Kotoko in his capacity as the club’s ‘president’ as he already calls himself. The reverse can also not be ruled out, especially where he has not managed any club before, much more Kotoko which requires something more than the ordinary to lead.
Yet again, Kuffour is a member of the current Kotoko Board chaired by Lawyer Paul Adu Gyamfi which has been accused of being the cause of the club’s woes in recent times. Mind you, Kotoko lost both the League and MTN FA Cup titles this season and ended up in the relegation bracket following a six-point deduction for fielding an unqualified player - a case they are still pursuing at the GFA Appeals Committee. I made my position clear on that case a few weeks ago that Kotoko cannot suffer for the GFA’s negligence.
The point is, if Kuffour is indeed an active member of the Kotoko Board, we would have at least heard about his contribution to the club so far, despite not being in the chair. Even more disturbing is the fact that both the Board Chairman and the club’s Chief Executive, Samuel Opoku Nti, seem not to have any idea about Kuffour’s takeover.
I overheard the Board Chairman on radio last week saying that he had no idea about any meeting with Otumfuo regarding the dissolution of the Kotoko board, as well as Kuffour’s appointment. That is, indeed, worrying, to say the least.
Interestingly, Opoku Nti’s position is no different from that of his board chairman. As I write, Lord Zico, as Opoku Nti is affectionately called, is currently preparing for next season by way of recruiting new players based on Coach David Duncan’s recommendation since he has not been officially informed of any takeover. So, who is telling the truth? Wonders shall never end.
This is where I expect Kuffour to play smart. After all, what stopped him from personally informing Lawyer Adu Gyamfi and Opoku Nti on his purported takeover after his meeting with the Otumfuo. If he has still not done so then he needs to consider it as a priority, instead of leaving them in suspense like anyone else. This is because these are people he will need some briefing from if he is eventually given the nod.
All things being equal, I expect Kuffour to learn to relate well with all the people who matter in the Kotoko fraternity to ensure a smooth take-off, a turbulence-free flight and a safe landing which will attract a resounding applause. I wish him well!