Hearts players must be motivated — Sam Ayi Acquah

Former Accra Hearts of Oak player , Samuel Ayi Acquah, says the club’s management has a duty to ensure that the club’s players are motivated enough to fight at this crucial in their bid to avoid relegation.

Ayi Acquah, who donned the Phobian colours from 1971 to 1972 before moving to Howard University in Washington DC on a four-year scholarship, also noted that players would always fail to play at their best if the club failed to honour their part of the bargain.

“I was shocked to hear that Hearts players at a point were owed four months salary.

“It wouldn’t have been a problem in our days because we played just for passion”, he contended.

Ayi Acquah, who also featured for the Black Stars and Black Meteors, made the comments in an interraction with the Graphic Sports last Tuesday.

He argued: "Modern football is all about motivation of players and that is exactly what Hearts must do to avoid being relegated.

"How will a player play at his best when his salary is outstanding for four months, especially when that is his only source of livelihood?” querried.

He, therefore, urged the leadership of the club to use the club's brand to secure sponsorship which would go a long way to ease the burden on the board chairman, Togbe Afede X1V

Commenting on the Stars, Ayi Acquah, who played for the senior national side from 1972 to 19 73 backed the payment of huge bonuses to the Stars.

"I personally don't have any problem with the huge sums of money they receive for playing for the Stars so far as it will motivate them to win for the nation," he added.

Samuel Ayi Acquah, who is back from the United States, currently holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Chemical Engineering, Masters Degree in Environmental Engineering and Masters Degree in Business Adminstration, among others, and has worked with Dupont Company in Delaware, as well as United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).