Olymics Damn Nanka-Bruce

The management committee of Accra Great Olympics Football Club says allegations made against them by Nii Okine Nanka Bruce, a supporter of the club were wrong, out of place and full of malice and must therefore be ignored by the true supporters of the club.

Speaking on behalf of the committee, Dr Albert Arthur said the issues raised by Nanka Bruce at a recent rally organised by the supporters of the club had no substance and that the argument proffered by him to justify his claim was illogical and infantile.

Mr. Nanka Bruce had told a meeting of supporters of the club that some management committee members are there to serve their selfish interests, which included seeing the team relegated. He said coach Emmanuel Afranie was hired to ensure that the team goes down the drain.

Dr. Arthur said he was appalled by the utterances of Mr. Nanka Bruce because "when the team was in crisis and there were efforts to get it back on its feet, Nanka Bruce lost out in his quest to be part of the management team because even his own allies from the Ade Coker camp realised he could not perform and did therefore not put up his name.

The medical officer disputed claims in connection with the level of Bruce's financial commitment to the club and challenged him to name those who visited him in his house to tell him to withdraw his support for the club.

"Nii Okine was making noise that he had spent 30 million cedis during the Ade Coker era but it was revealed that he spent only 2 million cedis, so what will such a man do if he is put in charge of the club," he asked.

Dr Arthur said their work at Great Olympics is sacrificial as they spend over three million cedis to prepare for a home match in addition to paying bonuses and salaries as against over six million cedis, which goes into an away match. "The team is not making profit as most of our matches are played at empty stadia because the club had lost its support base before we took over. We are trying to improve the fortunes of the club by achieving good results which could bring the fans back to the stands."

He said it is in fulfilment of their resolve to challenge for the league title that they have appointed coach Afranie "who remains one of the best brains of the game in the country today."

Dr Arthur called on true supporters of the club to come forward and share in their concern to make Olympics a super power in the premier league by supporting the club through and through without recourse to any negative or malicious machinations that could divide the rank and file of the team. "Olympics made about 300 million cedis last season while about 800 million cedis went into the prosecution of the league including salaries and other incidentals on player welfare and we sacrificed to make the differences from our own resources," he added.