Hearts of Oak team photo after league triumph
Hearts of Oak without a win in four league matches
Kojo Obeng Junior resumes training this week
Awako returns to Hearts after sorting out personal issues
Four matches, no victories, three draws, and a defeat, the plight of Hearts of Oak in the ongoing 2021/2022 Ghana Premier League (GPL) season.
Their poor start leaves them third to bottom of the GPL table, only a point above WAFA and Eleven Wonders.
Apparently, the Phobians are in turbulent times four months after winning the league last season but who is to be blamed?
GhanaWeb explores the various factors underpinning Hearts’ poor start to the season.
Pride and disunity among players
Of course in these frustrating moments, supporters begin to point accusing fingers and apportion blame.
The players who were heroes during the league and FA Cup triumph months back have come under serious criticisms for not giving off their best.
“The players feel too proud of themselves because they think they have won double (League and FA Cup) so it is ok for now. If anyone thinks he can’t play Hearts of Oak, he should pack and leave the club,” ex-Hearts defender, Dan Quaye told Adanse FM.
For former player Charles Taylor, he believes it is down to a lack of unity.
“There are a lot of things going on in the team, there is no unity in the team because of competition among players. Management must do well to solve it else nothing good will happen,” he told Angel TV.
Afutu’s exit
Pundits, rival fans, and a section of the Hearts of Oak fans believe losing Benjamin Afutu has had a negative impact on the team’s performance.
Afutu was arguably the most consistent performer for Hearts throughout last season. The box-to-box midfielder barely had a bad game in the rainbow colours and was the club’s second top scorer scoring 8 goals in all competitions.
Aside from pulling strings in the midfield, his offensive performance was marvellous. Hearts could not reach an agreement with him to extend his contract and thus the 25-year-old left.
Bad luck with injuries
Hearts of Oak’s missed two key players at the start of the season. Club top scorer Kojo Obeng Junior, and one of their top players, Raddy Ovouka due to injury.
Raddy was seemly rushed back to play in the one-all draw against WAFA on matchday two. His only game this season.
Obeng Jnr has missed four months of action and just resumed training this week. Perhaps his return will solve the team’s scoring problems of two goals in five games.
Gladson Awako’s absence
Hearts of Oak spent GH₵100,000 on 31-year-old Gladson Awako but the player is yet to make his debut despite signing in August this year. Awako was excused by Hearts after encountering ‘personal difficulties’ a few weeks after signing for the club.
Awako has eventually returned to training which is a major relief for head coach Samuel Boadu who will now have enough attacking options in the subsequent games.
Hearts of Oak time have a full house against JS Saoura in the CAF Confederation Cup this weekend. Hopefully, the Phobians could end their winless run at the Accra Sports Stadium against the Algerians.