Berekum Chelsea chief executive officer (CEO) Nana Sarfo Oduro has left his post after coming under fire for choosing a Nollywood movie over a discussion concerning the Ghana Premier League.
A Ghana Football Association (GFA) Executive Council member, Oduro was unhappy with questions about the quality of his club's home pitch for Sunday's league encounter with local giants Asante Kotoko in the aftermath of their game.
The club promptly released a statement on Tuesday, distancing themselves from the comments of their chief.
"This is to inform the sporting public as well as the Ghana Football Association that I have resigned as the chief executive officer of the above-mentioned club," Oduro's letter titled 'Resignation of appointment as the chief executive officer of Berekum Chelsea Football Club' reads.
"I joined this wonderful club in 2011 and was very instrumental in the success of the club in the Caf campaign, 2013. I was there for another journey where we were not successful due to financial constraints.
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"We have sojourned on to this day, which we have to painfully part company; my reasons are personal.
"I will like to thank the president of the club, board of directors, management members, players, technical team as well as our wonderful supporters for their support while I was with the club.
"I have to pick up a new challenge and I will have Berekum Chelsea Football Club at heart."
The pitch of the Golden City Park was among the most topical subjects of Chelsea's matchday two 1-1 draw with Kotoko which was broadcast live on TV.
Many questioned the quality of the pitch for good football and the safety of players while others criticised the GFA for passing the venue fit for elite division football.
Later, Oduro was engaged in an interview by local radio station Angel FM on the subject matter which apparently left the renowned administrator furious.
"Those footballers who played on the pitch, are they not the same ones who play on ‘sakora’ [grassless] pitches? Do they not play on Monday special ‘sakora’ pitches?” he queried in the interview.
"I am an Ex-Co member and so what? You can say whatever you want to say, I don’t care. I am watching a Nigerian movie now, that’s precious to me. The game is over. If you have issues go and take the points.
"Is football dead? Why don’t you face the reality? The game is over. I did not take anybody’s money before playing the game. I invested in my own game. That’s it. Forget it.
”We have played the game on the pitch, if you’re unhappy, we don’t care. We shall continue to play on the pitch.”
Oduro's comments generated a barrage of criticism of him, the GFA and his club, who promptly dissociated themselves from the utterance with a statement on Tuesday.
Chelsea won their first and only GPL title in 2011, a year before they reached the group stage of the Caf Champions League.
