Coach David Duncan has won the biggest compensation package in the history of Ghana football after Accra giants Accra Hearts of Oak were ordered to pay their former trainer a severance package of $40,000 (GHc86,500), GHANAsoccernet.com can exclusively reveal.
The Status Committee of the Ghana Football Association slapped the huge fine on the Accra-based side on Thursday after the coach had reported the club to the federation claiming unlawful dismissal, GHANAsoccernet.com can report.
It is the biggest compensation pay-off for anyone in the history of the local league which is likely to have an effect on future erratic sacking coaches in the in Ghanaian top-flight.
Theà Status Committee upheld the view of the trainer that he was illegally dismissed without the necessary compensation due him when he was fired by the former African champions.
The Phobians were also slapped with a GHc 5,000 fine over the conduct of their lawyers after they failed to appear before the committee in a previous sitting.
They have two weeks to pay the fine or could be docked points if they fail to meet the deadline set by the GFA.
The ruling is a massive financial setback for the Accra side whilst the management of the club will not escape blame for not negotiating a severance package with Duncan.
The 50-year-old brought a case against his former club to the Ghana FA over how he was dismissed by theà Phobians.
Duncanââ¬â¢s representatives argued that the contract of their client was illegally terminated as stated in theà labourà laws of Ghana.
The ex-AshantiGold trainer demanded more money in damages despite being offered three months of his salary worth GHS 21,000 (about $10,000) which he rejected.
Hearts on the other hand argue no law was broken in their dismissal of Duncan which prompted the coach to report the matter toà the Ghana FAââ¬â¢s Status Committee.
The arbitrary body delivered the landmark judgement which has sent shockwaves throughout the football community as Duncan smiles all the way to the bank.
Hearts have had to deal with these boardroom difficulties while trying to placate their stubbornly irate fans over the unpopular the decision to sack Duncan.
Theà Phobiansà have fallen behind in their pursuità forà the Ghana Premier League title and are now 3rdà â⬓sevenà points adrift leaders and rivals Asante Kotoko at the end of the first half of the season.
Coach Duncan joined the Phobian club in November last year after coach C.K Akunnor was relieved of à his duties and in his place David Duncan was appointed the new Head Coach.
The former Ashgold coach led Hearts from 14th position to fifth after an impressive run in the second half of the season.
The 50-year-old also got Hearts of Oak to a first semi-final appearance in the FA Cup in 13 years. They lost 2-1 to Medeama in the semi-finals of the 2012/13 MTN FA CUP.
David Duncan won his first trophy for Accra Hearts of Oak on the 1st July, 2013 when his team beat their season nemesis, Medeama 2-0 to win the 2013 Ghalca President's Cup.