By: David Kyei

Date: 16-05-11

The FA & International Affairs Manager of Kotoko, Kwame Baah-Nuakoh, has described as mischievous, peddling of lies and wrongfully apportioning of blame on Kotoko by Hearts of Oak for their shameful pull out from the May 9^th Commemorative match.

He has also disclosed that any attempt by Hearts to try to involve Kotoko in their shameful pull-out and running away from honoring the anniversary match would be fiercely and forcefully resisted by Kotoko, “because at no point did we advice Hearts to leave the stadium when all was set for the match to commence”.

Stating the case of Kotoko as to what really transpired on that faithful day when the two glamorous clubs were supposed to play a match in memory of the 126 lives that were lost on May 9, 2001 Kwame Baah-Nuakoh says they received a letter from the organizers inviting Kotoko to participate in that all important match.

“Kotoko duly accepted the invitation and in our acceptance letter to the national Sports Council (the organizers) we requested that each club be allowed to use three guest players”.

“Our thinking for making that request was that, we were in the process of recruiting new players for the next season and that we were of the opinion that such a high profile match will give the coaches a better platform to access their recruits”.

“In reaction to our request, the committee agreed that since it was going to be a fun game, guest players (including old/retired players) could be used for the match”.

Explaining further, Kwame says Kotoko decided that since the match was going to be a fun game, they would then make the reserve side make the appearance for specific and strategic reasons.

“Our reason for deciding to use the reserve side was that, when the league resumes on Wednesday, our players would play four matches in eleven days and so it was and wise we rested them to concentrate on the important match against AshGold and the rest”.

“At the pre-match technical meeting, this issue of fun game was raised and Kotoko brought up the idea of using the reserves side which was agreed to by both parties”.

According to Kwame, Kotoko made the request for the use of reserves because the regular team was left behind in Kumasi and even had a training session in the morning of the day of the match, before Bogdan Korak flew to join the reserves in Accra for the match.

“What we did therefore was to parade a team of our reserves and blended it with players who have not featured for the team in many matches due to injury, loss of form or suspension”.

“That was the reason why fans saw players like Soulama Abdoulaye, Ofosu Appiah, David Ofei, Gershon Akuffu and the likes all making the team for the day”.

“All that while, Hearts had also brought their reserves side to the stadium but upon seeing our team, they felt our team was too strong and since they did not want to suffer the fate we handed them in 2010, they decided to disband their reserves team right at the stadium,” he says.

“The invitation was for Asante Kotoko and we duly presented the team only for Hearts to pull out or better still run away for fear of a big defeat”.

“To us, the fun game aspect of the match was dealt with when the Circle’s played and beat the Chapters 2-1. What was left was for the reserves teams of both sides to climax the day with a match that many fans had defied the earlier downpour to witness”.

Kotoko, according to the FA & International Relations Manager deemed the suggestion by Hearts officials to assemble a team made up of Malik Jabir and Opoku Nti as outrageous and smacked of disrespect of our team.

“To us, the invitation we received was for Kotoko to play a match and so if they had rather wanted Asante Kotoko Old Players Association (AKOPA) to play, they should have stated that clearly in the letter and not wait for us to make the over six hours journey to Accra before coming to make such funny suggestions”.

“In addition, the Sports Council supported Kotoko with transportation and hotel accommodation and so the question we need to ask now is whether in all the correspondences, they stated we should parade AKOPA?”

On why he ordered the Kotoko team bus to leave the stadium when discussions were on going to get the match to be played, Kwame explains that his decision was purely for the safety of the team.

“Here is a situation where fans were getting agitated and had started demanding for the refund of their money to them. As the man under whose care the team was, the best security decision was to get the team and the bus out of the premises of the stadium where the agitation had started before the unthinkable happens”.

“This I am happy and proud I did and I am happy that the team arrived safely in Kumasi”.

“Our next line is for management to meet on the issue and take the decision that will best serve our interest as a club, taking into consideration all the cost components and wasted time,” was his response to the question of what remedies Kotoko would seek for the shameful withdrawal of Hearts at the last minute.