Kotoko Fail To Meet FIFA Deadline Over Schmidt Cash

Asante Kotoko will not be relegated from the Ghana top-flight despite failing to meet a FIFA deadline to pay Hans Dieter Schmidt�s compensation fee of 99,000 Euros. The world�s football governing body�s 30-day ultimatum to the Ghana Premier League giants elapsed on Monday. Kotoko officials told MTNFootball they have reached an agreement with the legal representatives of Schmidt over a payment plan. An amount of 47, 000 euros have been paid to the German coach with the remainder 52,000 Euros to be settled next month. �We have reached an agreement with his (Hans Dieter Schmidt�s) lawyers and so there is a clear understanding on how to settle the debt,� the club�s spokesperson Listowell Bukarson told MTNFootball.com Kotoko wrongfully dismissed Schmidt in 2005, a year after he had led the club to the final of maiden CAF Confederation Cup-losing to rivals Hearts of Oak. FIFA warned that the club will demoted to the country�s third-tier side if they failed to pay.