The American CEO of Accra Hearts of Oak, Mark Noonan has informed the club’s Board Chairman of his decision to not return to the job.
This communication ensued between the two top officials two days ago, Footy-Ghana.com sources indicate.
Coincidentally, this was revealed by Chairman Togbe Afede XIV at Thursday’s Board meeting which had as part of its agenda the future of the CEO who had taken a French leave.
Noonan has been out of the geographic jurisdiction of his job for over month now.
The former MLS marketing guru left Accra February 4 without informing the club’s board, neither did he make use of his business class travel ticket allotment per his contract, according to information available to our desk a couple of weeks ago. Noonan, we are told, is entitled to 7 two-way business class tickets; Accra-New York.
It took the club up to 18 days after Noonan’s departure to officially announce his absence – “to deal with family issues as well as attend meetings we believe will be beneficial for the club” – in a press release. The statement, which announced Edmund Adu as handling Business Operations on the interim, failed to tell the club faithful Noonan’s return date.
But when contacted, Hearts spokesperson Opare Addo told Footy-Ghana.com on March 9 that “Noonan did not leave without notice. He had a meeting with management [not BOARD] on Monday before leaving. So it’s not true.”
Per the Footy-Ghana.com sources, Noonan apparently among other reasons was unhappy with developments surrounding Hearts’ partnership with kit makers Umbro after their February 1 Board meeting.
A cheque premised on an agreement to foot the cost of saleable replicas in exchange for sponsored shirts and other team equipment from Umbro was unexpectedly ‘STOPPED’ days before his alleged French leave.
But the Hearts spokesperson denied that a cheque issued had been stopped, saying “per the present dispensation, it is our Board Chairman who releases money for any payment so it is normal when he does that. However, nothing like that [issuance and supposed stoppage of a cheque] has happened.”
He however clarified that “Umbro expect payment for replicas in order to supply sponsored kits to the club and the production has even started.”
Thursday’s Board Meeting
Snippets of information gathered by Footy-Ghana.com indicate that members of the Hearts Board are demanding reasons for Noonan’s decision after being shown a copy of the chat in which he communicated his decision of not returning to the job.
Our sources further indicate that not only do some members want to know Noonan’s reasons, they also wish to talk him out of his decision.
Mark Noonan officially assumed the CEO position at Hearts of Oak at the beginning of March 2018 and his project has brought about some significant changes at the club.
