The former Porcupine Warriors midfielder has opened up on how the club’s board chairman made sure he was paid even after vacating his post for a year
Former Asante Kotoko midfielder Stephen ‘Tico Tico’ Oduro has showered praise on the club and its board chairman after he was given a preferential treatment.
Although, Oduro left the country in 2018 to visit his family in United States of America, the diminutive midfielder has revealed that the club continued to pay him his salaries as a result of his long service.
“Somewhere at the start of the 2017/18 season when registration was about starting, that was the time Kwame Kyei had just come to take over the club [as Board Chairman], at that time I was still part of the team. Kwame Kyei suggested he wanted me to be a Player Welfare Officer alongside playing till I decide otherwise, which I accepted”, Oduro said in an interview with speaking ghanasportspage.com.
“I accepted, even the plan to play a testimonial match for me came up but due to my own schedules, it couldn’t come on. I personally pleaded with them that I had played for long and my wife and the children had been living abroad for long and at times it even takes two years without seeing them, so I wanted to seize the opportunity to go and visit them. I didn’t even plan on not returning but upon my arrival [here in America] then they [the family] said they won’t allow me to go back [to Ghana]”, he revealed.
“I will thank the officials of Kotoko because when I came to stay abroad and at that time Kwame Kyei was still paying me. He kept asking when I was coming back to help him and the club, so I went back [to Ghana] to spend about three months then later told them I had to return to USA to do something, and that was the time I couldn’t go back again.
“So it lasted for about after one year before they stopped paying me; even with that it took me to tell them that looking at things I’m not sure I can return and that they should replace me.
“Even at that time they kept in touch with me, calling me to come so they give me a job within the club but I rather told them I want to spend some time with the family, then do my coaching course then I later return to probably start from the [technical] bench so I can also help them team with what is left in me”, Oduro added.
Kotoko are in the hands of new management led by young and enterprising Nana Yaw Amponsah and the club seems to be on the verge of winning 2021/22 Ghana Premier League title. They lead the log after the first round with 37 points, seven points better than Bechem United who are in second position.
