Randy denies link with FA top job
Ghana Football Association (GFA) president, Kwesi Nyantakyi, is expected to stand for re-election when the GFA goes to Congress next year to elect the next head of the football regulatory body.
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But many months ahead of the gathering of Ghana football’s supreme body, there is reported behind-the-scenes manoeuvring by some powerful lobbyists within the football fraternity to put forward credible candidates to unseat Mr Nyantakyi at the polls, with names of former FA vice-president, Fred Pappoe and Heart of Lions president, Randy Abbey, making the rounds as possible challengers.
Yesterday, Mr Abbey told the Graphic Sports he had no such intention to contest for the FA top job and described reports of his presidential ambitions as mere rumours.
He also denied knowledge of his “campaign” posters being splashed around, adding that he was “unaware” that some of the posters were already visible in Kumasi.
In fact, printed T-shirts with the inscription “We want Randy to rule GFA” have been circulating in the Garden City in recent days, fuelling speculation that the former FA spokesperson was gearing up for the hot seat.
Similarly, Mr Pappoe has also denied he is preparing to unseat his former boss, who is an overwhelming favourite to be given a nod of approval at Congress for a third term as Ghana’s football chief.
In the aftermath of Ghana’s disastrous World Cup campaign in Brazil, there have been moves by some notable personalities within the football community to weaken Mr Nyantakyi’s hold on the FA, and a recent retreat by some eminent personnel in football which recommended a maximum of two terms of four years each for the FA presidency, further fuelled the conspiracy theory that an anti-Nyantakyi group was working towards his removal from office.
On the sidelines of that forum was an ugly confrontation between the FA president and former Accra Hearts of Oak chairman, Harry Zakkour, who threatened to ensure Mr Nyantakyi was removed from office for what he perceived as the legal practitioner’s mismanagement of Ghana football.
Former Hearts and ex-King Faisal chief executive, Vincent Sowah Odotei, who has never hidden his desire to end Mr Nyantakyi’s control of
Ghana football, has again declared his intention to contest for the FA top job, vowing to unseat Mr Nyantakyi at next year's congress.
Despite declaring in March that he was no longer interested in contesting for the FA presidency after his two previous failed attempts, Mr Odotei made a u-turn two weeks ago by stating he would depose his sworn rival.
“I can tell you that by May next year Nyantakyi will not be the FA president."
“Change is coming. Change is blowing and Nyantakyi will lose his seat," he said recently in an interview with Accra-based Happy FM.