Abdul-Salam Yakubu said after years of bankrolling the club he had reached a point where he was seriously contemplating quitting football, but indicated that he was in consultation with some stakeholders before taking a firm decision on his involvement in the sport, as well as the future of the club.

“I have never regretted contributing to the development of Ghana football over the years. However, my involvement in the football industry may end after we play our last five matches,” Mr Yakubu told Accra-based Asempa FM last Saturday.

According to him, considering the huge investment he had made into the club, it would be difficult to get the requisite returns if he decided to sell it; hence, the need for further consultation as his family in Kumasi had been split over his plan to quit football.

“About 70 per cent of my family members supported my decision to retire from the football industry, but 30 per cent of them disagreed and directed me to consult with some stakeholders on the action I intend to take, so I am still pondering over the issue," he said.

Contribution to development

Without assigning reasons for his planned retirement from football, Mr Yakubu was emphatic that the establishment of the club at Edubiase in the Ashanti Region had contributed to the accelerated development of the community as well as created a platform for the youth to develop their talent.

“New Edubiase Football Club has contributed in diverse ways to open up the community and also raised the standard of living for the youth who have football skills. I can, therefore, say that I have played my part in terms of the socio-economic development of the community,” he said.

His views were corroborated by the club's CEO, Alex Ackumey, who added that the community had benefitted from the exploits of the club's owner and would be left poorer if he stuck to his guns to quit football at the end of the season.

“We did not establish the club to seek our personal interest. It is to ensure that we raise the standard of living of the youth through football, and so far, we are on course. Many of the youth have benefited from our gesture, but there are many more who are looking up to us, so if Mr Yakubu leaves the industry now, what happens to the up-and-coming youth?" Ackumey questioned.

He was hopeful that his boss would be persuaded to rescind his decision and also continue to explore avenues to improve on the club, including mentoring others to take over from him in future.