Search For Chief Executive - Hearts Split Over Herbert, Nelson

The search for a new CEO for Accra Hearts of Oak has divided the camp of the club ahead of a decisive meeting of the board of directors of the club this week.

The factions have emerged behind two prospective candidates, Mr Herbert Mensah, a former CEO of Asante Kotoko, and Frank Nelson Nwokolo, a director of the club, and one of the popular names within Hearts circles.

Two factions have emerged within the board, openly vying for their prefered candidates for the job which has been vacated by Mr Tommy Okine who has been installed as the Gbese Mantse.

Former CEO, Mr Harry Zakkour, is clamouring for Mr Mensah whose marketing consultancy has been associated with Hearts in the past years.

Zakkour, who is said to have received the backing of some organised supporters group in Kumasi, told the Graphic Sports yesterday that the current dire situation of the club called for a personality cast in the mould of Herbert Mensah.

“We need a leadership with experience on the football terrain who could inspire the fans and exploit the commercial potential of the club”, he argued.

In his view, all the past admnistrators of the club went through some kind of apprenticehip in football managment, citing himself and former CEO Okine, who served in various management positions before they got to the top position.

According to Zakkour, who is also a director of the club, Hearts are currently engulfed in serious debts and any attempt to trust the destiny in the hands of any inexperienced personality would spell doom for the club.

He stated that even though Mr Mensah was out of the country, the board of Hearts should make a strong bid to get the former Kotoko boss to take over.

But other board members like Alhaji Fawaz Zowk believe strongly that Nelson, the Nigerian-born businessman based in Ghana, has paid his dues to Hearts and demonstrated in the past seasons that he has the financial clout to take over the club.

Board Chairman, E.M. Commodore-Mensah, revealed at the weekend that the board hoped to take over after its meeting which is tentatively fixed for the week.

He disclosed that the meeting would consider the appointment of two members of the board, Mr Frank Nelson Nwokolo and Mr Steve Akwetey, who is also a member of management, to assume temporary responsibility.

Meanwhile, Hebert has denouced the attempts to get him to take over Hearts.

Speaking from his base through his spokesman in Accra Mr Andoh Amoakwa, the former Kotoko boss said his current busy schedule rules out mainstream football function.

Story by Andy Quao