Kumasi, April.30, GNA - The Management of the Kumasi Asante Kotoko Football club is putting in place measures to restructure its technical bench.

To this end, a new coach had been appointed to replace Hans Kodrich, whose appointment had been terminated by the management for "his sub-standard performance".

Major Yaw Larsen (Rtd), Chief Executive of the club made this known at a press conference in Kumasi on Friday.

He has however refused to mention the name of the new coach, saying, he was still waiting for a confirmation on his arrival before making his name public.

Major Larsen said management was also putting in place a code of conduct for both players and staff of the club to ensure discipline in the club.

He said, "Discipline was an essential element in every enterprise, and the management would work to ensure that discipline permeates the club, especially among the playing body."

Management was further evolving proper job functions for each employee of the club to ensure that each of them performed according to his job description.

Major Larsen lambasted some individuals and groups who were hiding behind the media to try to undermine the authority of the management in taking certain decisions, especially the termination of the appointment of coach Kodrich and maintaining coach Malik Jabir. He said coach Malik, as a technical director, played a different role from that of the head coach.

Major Larsen said the management had paid 16,000 dollars to coach Kodrich as his two months salary, provided him with an airfare and settled all his hotel bills.

He said in the absence of a substantive coach, Malik would act as a stop-gap coach for the impending league matches which begin on Sunday. The CEO said it was his responsibility to operate Kotoko as a business concern adding that, "The management and the Board of the club had the mandate to dismiss or appoint coaches and not the work of radio stations or presenters."

He warned against attempts by some "faceless people" who claim to love Kotoko but hid behind radio stations to spread falsehood and cause disaffection among the players and supporters adding that he was ready to serve Kotoko and nobody could deter him from doing that. Major Larsen denied a rumour carried by some radio stations that, coach Frimpong Manso was going to be appointed to assist the new coach and said Frimpong Manso was currently not in the employment of the club, following his resignation as an assistant coach earlier this year.

On the decision by the GFA that Kotoko should pay coach Middendorp 50,000 dollars, Major Larsen said the decision was unacceptable to Kotoko.

He said there was nothing on record that suggested that Kotoko owed Middendorp, adding that he was trying to gather all the necessary facts before advising the Board of the club.

He appealed to media practitioners not to allow themselves to be used by individuals and groups who had hidden agenda to propagate falsehood.

Major Larsen said the management and board of the club had the right to determine how the club should be run adding that, they "do not need the permission from anybody before taking decisions for the club".

On the funding of continental assignments, Major Larsen appealed to the government to revisit the issue of assisting clubs that have qualified for international competitions to enable them honour their matches without much financial difficulties and strain. 30 April 04