Football scout and former Hearts of Oak midfielder Esme Mends, who was a client of new Asante Kotoko CEO Nana Yaw Amponsah, has cautioned Asante Kotoko to watch the dealings of their CEO with eagle eyes if the club really wants to succeed in its activities with Amponsah at post as the club CEO.
Nana Yaw Amponsah who was once a FIFA registered player agent, served as an agent who managed Esme Mends during his playing days with Accra Hearts of Oak, and was, according to Mends, the initiator of his move from Tema Real Sportive to the Accra based side.The two seems to have shared lots of things together during their player-agent relationship days, and Esme has torn into his former manager as incompetent of managing the CEO position at Kotoko.
Esme says he has less knowledge about Amponsah’s club managerial skills, but he knows he has a very bad human relationship character.
“I don’t know his management side, the clubs he’s managed I have not worked with him as to player signing and the likes, but his relationship with people is what I’m breaking down for you. His dealings, if Kotoko will succeed now that he is the CEO they should really really open their eyes and watch him well. They should watch Nana Yaw Amponsah well, yes I’m telling you”, Esme cautioned.
According to Esme Mends, the Asante Kotoko CEO has indulged in negative handling of players during his agency work time, and whoever encountered him for business has a bitter feeling about him. He stressed, that many players, some of whom he knows, have had their football careers “in shambles” because of Nana Yaw Amponsah. This attitude, according to him, cannot allow the former Phar Rangers president to succeed as CEO of the Ghana Premier League giants.
“I wish I could mention names of people he (Nana Yaw Amponsah) has come into contact with who also have bitter experience of him. As I speak with you I have one player whose career is in shambles because of Nana Yaw Amponsah. You can have a bad side but you can do a good job, but for a club like Asante Kotoko, no, it’s a big no for me. You let’s see, we are here, if the supporters do not chase him out he will go by himself”, he predicted.
Esme insists that he has nothing against Amponsah and will gain nothing from saying anything untrue about him, but he believes he has the right to share his opinion if he believes Amponsah is not a right choice for Kotoko.