Real Hard Work Starts Now - Hearts of Oak

Ghana Premier League (GPL) leaders Accra Hearts of Oak are not relenting on their chances of winning this season’s championships, insisting that real hard work begins now.

The Phobians jumped to the top of the GPL table with a slim 1-0 victory over Berekum Chelsea at the Golden City Park last Sunday, as former leaders Wa All Stars lost 1-3 at Techiman City.

They lead the standing by a point after 11 games, and with the chasing pack eager and desperate to overtake them, they have pledged to do more to retain their position.

Welfare officer of the club, Nii Sabahn Quaye praised the team’s impressive victory over Berekum Chelsea, labelling the win an important and “fantastic” result but has pleaded with supporters of the club not to put pressure on the boys now that the team is on top of the table.

Hearts responded positively from the hangover of the painful defeat to arch-rivals Kotoko in the previous game by winning for the first time at the home of Berekum Chelsea in eight years.

Samuel Yeboah scored the match-winner in the 59^th minute to send Hearts atop the table with four games to end the first round of the competition.

Sabahn Quaye was particularly impressed with the response of the players but says the fans must not put too much pressure on the boys as there are a lot more still to be done to win the competition.

He said the team fought hard for the win and were much focused going into it. However, he charged that “this victory should not get into our heads because there are a lot more matches to play and we need to work hard to maintain our position”.

“We will keep working hard at training, and, I trust that the boys will respond positively to get us to the level we want to be at the end of the season,” he added.

Hearts will next play Sekondi Hasaacas in Accra before traveling back to the Brong Ahafo region to play Aduana Stars at Dormaa with their last two games this first round against Liberty Professionals in Accra and Dreams FC at Dawu.

 

Real Hard Work Starts Now - Hearts of Oak

I Won"t Work Against GFA - GHALCA Chairmanship Aspirant

A Ghana League Clubs Association (GHALCA), Chairmanship aspirant, has promised heads of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), he will work in tandem with the Association if elected.

GHALCA, the mother body of all league clubs in the country, is welfare body of clubs, but it is believed the football governing body in the country has gazumped the responsibilities of the Association.

It is believed league clubs wants a chairman who will lead the crusade for the them to have a say in the decision taking by the FA in the best interest of clubs.

But one of the candidates (name withheld), has met with the heads of the GFA, gave them his word and asked and called for their support for Thursday’s elections.

The said aspirant, held a third meeting with a highly ranked member of the FA over the weekend.

The first two meetings were not fruitful as the FA told him they can’t influence the choice of delegates. It is however unclear the response he got over the weekend.

GHALCA will go to the polls on Thursday April 21.

I Won"t Work Against GFA - GHALCA Chairmanship Aspirant

Our hard work is paying off - Cosmos Dauda

Accra Hearts of Oak striker Cosmos Dauda says the hard work done by the team in pre-season is paying off at they sit top of the Ghana Premier League (GPL) after four games.

Dauda started last Sunday’s GPL Match-Day Four game against Bechem United as the Phobians posted a comfortable 3-1 win in Accra to move top of the standing, two points clear off All Stars and Dreams FC.

And Dauda said after the game that he was happy to have contributed in helping Hearts achieve this success which to him, is not surprising considering the great work the team did in pre-season.

“Our hard work is playing off and you will even see more as the season unfolds,” he told the club’s official newspaper, the Hearts News.

“This was a hard game and we expected it as sides that come up against us will always give off their best hoping to cause an upset,” he added.

“I was really relieved when the final whistle sounded, and, now that we top the table, we will look to maintain our focus and hold on to this lead,” Dauda said.

“It is the dream of us all to win the ultimate at the end of the campaign, and, we are all working towards that with the hope that our dream will become a reality.

Not many gave the Phobians a chance in this season’s championship after their poor return last season, but, they remain unbeaten after four games and have looked impressive under their Japanese-American coach Kenichi Yatsuhashi.

Accra Hearts of Oak will next play Inter Allies at the Tema Sports Stadium on Sunday, looking to preserve their unbeaten start to the season with the possibility of extending their lead at the top even further.

 

 

Our hard work is paying off - Cosmos Dauda

Critics Were Quick To Judge Me - Kenichi

Kenichi Yatshuashi, Accra Hearts of Oak’s coach has said critics were quick to judge him without ever seeing him at work.

Hearts has started the 2015/16 Ghana Premier League (GPL) season so well to the surprise of many considering how poor the club’s pre-season preparation was and the appointment of an unknown name and pedigree of a coach in Kenichi Yatsuhashi raised eyebrows within soccer circles in Ghana.

But the Japanese-American has gone about his business smoothly and allowed his work to do the talking. He has made an almost perfect start to life in Ghana football with two wins and a draw from the three matches Accra Hearts of Oak have played in the GPL this season.

Coach Kenchi in his bullish moment admitted he was not surprised with how well his team has started but did not understand why his competency will be questioned by people who have never or yet to see him at work.

He said, “I am not surprised with my start to life in the Ghana Premier League. My confidence has always been up there and was never bothered with the critics as they had never seen my work but were quick to give opinions. People who have seen my work and visited our training sessions don’t criticise me.”

Critics Were Quick To Judge Me - Kenichi