We will develop the Kotoko brand – Dr. K. K. Sarpong

27 May 2010

The Asantehene, His Majesty Otumfuo Osei Tutu II last Monday appointed Dr. K. K. Sarpong, the former Managing Director of the Tema Oil Refinery as the Executive Chairman of Kumasi Asante Kotoko. Dr. K. K. Sarpong will work with an 11-member board comprising highly distinguished personalities. On Wednesday, Dr. Sarpong granted his first interview to Kotoko Express speaking to Jerome Otchere in a lengthy telephone chat where he dropped hints on the good plans the board has for the club. Following are the excerpts of the interview. Please read on.

Kotoko Express (KE): What are you first thoughts after coming into office?

Executive Chairman: (EC): I think we need to know the state of the club; have a situation report and then from the situation report, we will know the challenges. From there the board will map out the strategy. We do not want the situation to be abrupt. We do not want to create any vacuum. The interim management will be working hand-in-hand with us for us to have a fuller understanding of what the state of club is. We want to know the finances, the logistics, the equipments we have, the human resource in terms of players; in terms of management and once we are abreast with things, it will tell us what challenges we face. Then from there, we will sit down and draw our strategic plan.

KE: What information did you have after your background search on the state of affairs?

EC: We do know something but we want everything to be official. We do not want to be rushing about things. We want to go about things step by step. If you want to administer any medicine, you need to do a very good diagnosis so that you will know what really the illness is; then you will know what options you have to be very effective. From Nana’s speech, you see that he tried out to set out the points we should look at. But at the end of the day, we will be evaluating everything; all the suggestions. If for instance there are 10 of them, we will see whether we have to take this or that. We are going to prioritise them to see which ones we want to tackle immediately and those that can wait and which ones we can work on within the next two or three years. We need to be very cautious.

KE: Is it true that the management team have been mandated to submit their report?

EC: It is important to say that we are not making an assumption that people have not done any work at all! Over the years, people have done some work; people have worked. We want to acknowledge the good work done by everybody. Let me add that we are committed to bringing everybody on board. The board has respectable persons. Though I am the executive chairman, I am not going to run the board as my own. We have a collective responsibility. For that matter, we want to evaluate all the things together and decide that this is the direction we want to go.

We expect that by two weeks time, latest, the management will submit their report. They may even want to give it to us in one week. June 14 is our maiden meeting day. We will evaluate the status report. The interim management will help us evaluate it, so that we will question, probe and understand where we are and where we want to go. I think what we have done is the most sensible thing. Many radio stations called me yesterday [Tuesday]. I told them I am not making any comment until about three to four weeks time. By that time, I would have had a fuller grasp of the situation on the ground and together with the board; we will make choices as to which direction we want to go. Then when I come out to speak, it will be from an informed position.

We need to talk with one voice. We do not want anybody to be talking anyhow. We will be leaving everything to our spokespersons. The chairman must make only important statements. I do not want to be on radio every talking morning. Together with my team, we will reflect on things; look at what we want to do – this way or that way; then we ask our spokespersons to come on air or brief the press. The Kotoko brand is known in the whole world. I was in a small village in Cameroon five years ago visiting friends and everybody there knew Kotoko. They knew Kum Apem; they would tell you if you kill a thousand, a thousand will come. Can you imagine that in a village in Cameroon – everybody knows Kotoko! So the brand is well known. We need to let the brand come out. Out of the brand, if you have merchandising, your merchandising will bring money; if you have sponsorship, your sponsorship will get you money.

KE: These are early days but what plans does the board have for Kotoko Express?

EC: The newspaper – the Kotoko Express – it has the potential to generate money. The newspaper will be made the placid centre. We want the paper to be a profit making venture so that the staff will be independent of the management team. The board of the paper will be established. We are going to have a commercial director but he is not going to run the paper. The editorial board will be different from the board of the paper. You will then decide what you want to publish… The name Kotoko is fetish. If really handle the brand well, we will make a lot of money…Like we go to the stadium and buy water to drink; can’t we bottle Kotoko water? It is business… People are selling our [paraphernalia] – towels, jerseys – in our brands. Do they have the right to do that?

KE: The supporters are happy with the coming of the board...Any message to them?

EC: I appeal to the supporters to be patient. I made the comment that I do not want people to go radio insulting everybody. It is not healthy. If you have contributions bring them and then we will see how your contribution will come into what we are going to do. The supporters are really going to be organised effectively. We will mobilise everybody. I want us to have a data base on our supporters. So they should be patient. That is what their chairman is asking them to do. They should be respectful to management, the board and all officials! Let us build that kind of respect and trust. They should be forthcoming with their suggestions, constructive suggestion! And they should die a little for the club by cheering, motivating players. I think if we all work together like that, Kotoko will be the winner. I am receptive to ideas; we are going to be open and transparent!