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| 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.
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