As part of the ongoing restructuring in the club, the Board of Directors have announced a number of initiatives to help position the club for the second half of the 2009-2010 league season.The changes also form part of the next stage of the implementation of the club’s five (5) year developmental plan.A four-person task force, headed by board member,Mr.Akwasi Agyeman, has been tasked to work with management for the second half of the season and to help give the club a new national impetus.
Other Members of the task force include Mr. Kojo Yankah (board member),Alhaji Soldier (National Chairman of XI Wise Webs) and Mr. Walter Yankah(Administrative manager).Mr. Walter Yankah, will act as the official spokes person of the club until the end of the 2009-2010 season.Mr. Jamil Maraby, the Chief Executive officer of the club will act as advisor to the task force and head a new marketing and sales initiative designed to gain international recognition for the club.
Mr. Hans-Dieter Schmidt (Germany)has been appointed as the Head Coach of the club, whilst former Black stars skipper C. K. Akonnor, currently coach of the club will move into a new senior role as the Sports Director of the Club,with Nii Odartey Lamptey assisting Hans Schmitt in his new role.As Sports Director, C.K. Akonnor,will be responsible for player issues including the recruitment, management and transfer of players and also work with the head coach to provide the required motivation to the players.
About Sekondi Eleven Wise:
Established in 1919 in Sekondi-Takoradi, Sekondi Eleven Wise is the 3rd oldest football club in Ghana.The club was formed by local railway workers of the then British colonial Rail way corporation. Wise had competed at the top most level rubbing shoulders with the best.The team even hosted the British team Black Pool in Ghana and defeated them by 3 goals to nil.Sekondi Eleven Wise has also produced players for the the Senior national team – the Black Stars such as Edward Acquah, Joe Sam, John Eshun, Nana Tutu, Sanni Abdullia and many others.Today, the impact and success of Sekondi Eleven Wise Football Club during its peak, even after several years of hibernation from top flight football,can still be felt through the massive support base that the club continues to enjoy.Sekondi Eleven Wise is currently back to the Premier League and are undoubtedly a force to reckon with in Ghana’s growing football world.
Profile of Hans-Dieter Schmidt
Following the end of his playing days, Schmidt passed his manager diploma and worked as manager of SV Meppen for several years.After spending a year with Eintracht Nordhorn, Schmidt joined VfB Oldenburg as manager and came in second place in the German amateur football championship in 1988. In the same year, he joined FC Bayern Munich, managing their reserve team for two years, before taking over as managing director of Hannover 96. While working in that office in Hannover, he was interim manager for two matches,before Michael Lorkowski took over. He also managed VfB Lübeck and VfL Osnabrück, before Schmidt went abroad for the first time in 1994.He managed Egyptian top-flight team Baladeyet Al-Mahalla before joining Saudi Premier League side Al-Qadisiya Al Khubar.In 1996 he returned to Germany, taking over as managing director of 1. FC Magdeburg.In September 1996, he succeeded Karl Herdle as Magdeburg manager, a job he kept until 1999.With Magdeburg he won promotion to the then-third-tier Regionalliga.Schmidt later became a scout for Bundesliga side Hamburger SV Between 2003 and 2007, Schmidt went abroad again, managing teams in Iran (Persepolis F.C.),Ghana (King Faisal Babes, Asante Kotoko, All Blacks FC), Egypt (Ismaily SC) and South Africa (Black Leopards). Since the beginning of the 2008-09 season,Schmidt has been director of sports at sixth-tier side SC BW 94 Papenburg.
Brooke Nuwati
firstnuwati@gmail.com