Dealing with supporters – Opoku Nti’s style

Opoku Nti (middle) at Kotoko supporters' programme.

I love Kotoko supporters. They are a bunch of very interesting people; people who at times are very easy to please yet extremely difficult to handle most often. Contrary to what many people outside the club think, you cannot take the Kotoko supporter for granted. No. not at all! 

Whether illiterate or literate, the Kotoko supporter knows exactly what he wants from the club. When things are bad with the club, expect the Kotoko supporter to tell you. When things are good, in the same vein, the Kotoko supporter will make you aware. 

I am not sure if this is so with all clubs but at Kotoko, my observation is that, one simple slip by a player, a coach or a management member can cause huge disaffection. Conversely, a single good decision by any of the aforementioned people can lead to untold joy and fun. 

That is the complexity that surrounds the Kotoko supporter’s life, which requires a fine understanding and an exceptionally good handling, lest a player; coach or official is likely to fall out with the supporter (s). It may all be an undesirable characteristic of the club’s supporters but it’s the reality, which anybody working in the club must appreciate. 

No matter the amount of professionalism you want to attach to your assigned task at Kotoko, your success or failure could well hinge on how you relate with the supporters. I say this based on a development I closely observed after Friday’s home game against Inter Allies. 

Kotoko won the game 1-0 courtesy substitute Dauda Mohammed’s 62nd minute strike. Tension was building up in the stands before the goal was scored. Many assumed that, Kotoko were going to maul the well-organised Tema side. After the first half, when indications were clear that, Kotoko would labour to win the game, the supporters’ anxiety shot up to a high level. 

So there was a goal. A big relief! The three maximum points at stake would be bagged. Unlike the clash with Hasaacas in which the Porcupines conceded two goals and eventually drew 2-2, this time, they protected their lead with great amount of sweat to earn their first win at home. 

One would have thought that, the supporters would have left the stadium applauding the team’s effort. Well, not exactly. Some did. Others didn’t. Those who didn’t do that expressed their dissatisfaction with the quality of play. They overlooked the fact that, Christopher Bonney’s injury forced Coach Didi to make substitutions he logically wouldn’t have made. 

They cared less about the impact that forced those substitutions. They also didn’t mind if Inter Allies had a fantastic defensive strategy, which saw Coach Paa Kwesi Fabin withdrawing his attackers at some point for defensive-minded players to prevent Kotoko from scoring. All that the supporters cared about was Kotoko and that their performance was unimpressive in their view.

Didi coherently explained his approach to the game at the post-match press conference. Not surprisingly, he had divergent views as to what happened. That was to be expected. He’s the coach. Therefore he has always has a deep insight, which all things aside, must be respected. 

Now outside the press centre, a group of fans – about 50 of them had surrounded General Manager, Opoku Nti’s vehicle. Alone in the vehicle, the Kotoko legend was turning left, right to the front windows of his vehicle answering supporters’ questions on the team’s performance. I was touched. 

Opoku Nti was visibly weary but he stoutly defended the players and the coach. He urged the supporters to watch matches regardless of the team’s performance. He assured them, that, things would improve. They listened patiently. They were attentive. They appeared to believe him. Anytime Opoku Nti gently stepped on his accelerator to move, they moved with the vehicle. 

For almost an hour, the supporters’ “interview” continued. All of a sudden and strangely too, there was a resolution: the General Manager has spoken. He’s spent good time with us. He’s thoroughly explained issues. We are satisfied. He must be allowed to go home, they charged. Tell me, undoubtedly it is officials and supporters who love their club who will behave this way. 

As long as you work for Kotoko, you owe the supporters a duty. It’s easy to fallout with them. It’s also very easy to court their support. You may be successful at Kotoko if you do the latter well. I think, that’s what it’s, generally, in life. We must have time for people, no matter what.

Sunyani gave us our first victory…

Jordan Opoku and teammates celebrate Amed Toure's goal.

There is no doubt that we have genuine Kotoko supporters. Across Ghana and beyond, I’ve met a number of these supporters in my work at Kotoko Express and Asantekotokosc.com. I continue to meet many of them. It’s not as if I didn’t know but I have to reiterate that, my 24hour-stay in Sunyani – the Brong Ahafo Regional capital over the weekend, has reinforced my conviction that, the region has one of the best groups of Kotoko supporters.

It’s perhaps wrong to group Kotoko fans in the region under the big umbrella of the Brong Ahafo Regional Circles Council, knowing very well that, there are thousands if not millions of Kotoko fans in that renowned region who don’t belong to the Circles. I applaud those supporters for their prayers and the unflinching support they gave to Kotoko on Sunday.

These fans turned up in great numbers to fill the Coronation Park to its capacity for 2014/15 First Capital Plus Premier League, match day three fixture against B. A. United. Even though it’s sad that, Kotoko earned nothing at the gates because of the home-take-all-policy, with regard to gate proceeds, it is important to acknowledge that, Kotoko were more concerned with victory and not money matters at the gates.

B. A. United must be smiling all the way to the bank. They don’t have to worry too much as a result.

With the circumstances under which Kotoko came into the match, there was no way, B. A. United were going to win and at the same time, carry away all the huge takings at the gates. As said in street football argument, Kotoko brought them money at gates while they took the three points. That was what mattered most to Kotoko.

The massive presence of Kotoko fans at the Park is one of the reasons, the team won.

While I commend those non-Circle members for their total support, I praise Chairman Kennedy Enyan and his BARCC members who supported management’s work in Sunyani. One may ask how the BARCC’s did that. That isn’t a difficult question to answer.

Supporters play vital roles in winning football matches. It’s all right to prepare players adequately for matches and expect the best results from them. Yet when supporters decide to boycott matches or even show up but turn to be hostile, the repercussions can be serious. I doubt whether in Europe and other advanced societies, organised supporters’ groups host their teams in the manner we do in Ghana.

We have a unique situation where supporters of clubs like Kotoko feel a part of the team. At every visit to their locality, they “make the ground fertile” for victory. That is what the BARCC did. We can’t take away the fact that, management; the technical team and the players performed their roles well in exorcising the ghost that prevented them from winning.

Sunyani played a big part. From the days of former BARCC Chairman, Oppong Brenya, when I first came into contact with Kotoko fans in the BARCC; my observation is that, these supporters don’t turn their backs on Kotoko. There is no denial that, the BARCC remains one of the most organised Kotoko supporters groups; how they have constantly been organised, playing noticeable roles in the affairs of Kotoko is a subject to be interrogated later.

Now that victory has come, we must share the joy and work towards consistent wins. It was good that, the technical team rang changes in the team, dropping three players who were in the Sekondi Hasaacas game. Goalkeeper, Ofori Antwi was in for Joseph Addo while Amos Frimpong replaced Ohene Brenya with Michael Akuffu starting ahead of Richard Mpong.

There was total team play. Ofori Antwi wasn’t really tested but he fared well on the few times he was called to duty. The partnership between Abeiku and Amos was fantastic. Bonney and Asante worked well in their respective wingback positions. Jordan displayed true leadership.

Amed Toure was phenomenal. Owusu Jackson, Akuffu, Frank Sarfo Gyamfi, Obed Owusu and substitutes, Dauda Mohammed, Kwadwo Poku and Ohene Brenya, who came on for Amos in the 95th minute, all played excellent supporting roles in their corresponding positions.

I can’t tell if the technical team will stick to the same line-up in the next game on Friday against Inter Allies at home but having kept four players from the Aduana match up to the B. A. United, there is utmost certainty that, Didi will stick to his performers in search of another win.