Posted by Former board chairman of Hearts of Oak, Mr Emmanuel Martey Commodore-Mensah has said that the cancellation of the 2001 Club World Cup is the paramount reason why the club failed to fulfill the promises made to the squad that clinched the 2000 CAF Champions League.
Charles Allotey, Amankwaah Mireku and host of players who were part of the team that helped Hearts of Oak to win the CAF Champions league in 2000 have in recent days expressed their disappointment at the club’s inability to fulfill promises made to them prior to the Champions league final. Stating that they were promised $25,000 per player to win the continental trophy.
Mr Commodore-Mensah, who was then a board member of Hearts of Oak said on Asempa FM that the club was determined to fulfill it promise since it served as a motivation to win the Champions League and in the process book a place in the 2001 FIFA Club World Championship.
He revealed that the club failed to fulfill it promises because FIFA later on announced that it marketing company in charge of the tournament, International Sports and Leisure (ISL), had gone bankrupt, hence cancellation of the Championship that year.
“Yes, we made that promise, knowing that the World Club Championship was going to be the deal-breaker financially,” Mr. Commodore-Mensah revealed on Asempa FM.
“For the cancellation, FIFA gave us some monies as compensation and not the monies we were expecting from the tournament for which we made that promise to the players, hence we failing to fulfill our promise to the latter,” he added.
He also added that despite the club’s inability to fulfill it promises, the players were rewarded enough for the history they made that year.
“Yes, we rewarded the players enough for the history they made for the club that year. Given how much came to the club, we did what was needful. I know, I am prepared to put my hand on my chest and say we gave them something, as to whether it was enough or not, it is a discussion for another day”, he concluded.