Opoku Nti is incompetent - Duncan
Coach David Duncan has broken his silence since he was asked by the management of Kumasi Asante Kotoko to step aside as he revealed last Saturday that he worked under poor conditions and remuneration which made it difficult to achieve results.
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He disclosed that at a point he was offered GH¢ 5 for his breakfast ahead of a crucial game.
In an emotional outburst on Metro FM, a Kumasi-based radio station, the coach made a number of shattering revelations, including an incident which occurred during their FA Cup match against AK Shion in Sunyani when he (Duncan) and each of the players were given GH¢5 for their breakfast because there was no money.
“I accepted the GH¢5 out of respect I have for the club,” Coach Duncan stressed.
He said the situation was so bad that instead of the usual pairing of two players in a room, between four and five players were asked to sleep on a double bed.
The outspoken coach said as part of his philosophy, he always made sure that his players were comfortable before he went to his room. On that occasion he had to sacrifice his room for some of the players.
“It has always been the practice. You can even check from Kofi Manu and Kudjoe Fianoo during my days with AshantiGold; once I even slept in a bus during an away game just to make sure that my players were okay,” Coach Duncan recounted.
He said during the crisis moments at Kotoko he, together with his assistant, Michael Osei, complained bitterly about their conditions of service.
Unfortunately, since he was asked to step aside for Osei to take temporarily charge, following which the life patron of the club, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, provided a bus and made things better for the club, he has not heard from Osei.
Among a litany of allegations made by the coach was the apparent incompetence of the current management team which has inidentally stalled his initiative to bring in sponsorship.
Coach Duncan alleged that the sponsorship deal fell through because the sponsors felt at the time that the Kotoko management was not competent to give the necessary mileage to the deal.
He said one key thing which had worked against Kotoko when he was in charge of the technical bench was that the club’s General Manager, Samuel Opoku Nti had the penchant for shirking his responsibilities, especially during turbulent moments.
On why he went to the Adako Jachie training pitch even after he had been asked to step aside, the coach said, Opoku Nti called him (Coach) on phone to inform him about the decision.