Hearts move camp to Akosombo
Accra Hearts of Oak players and technical handlers last Tuesday left the capital city to the serene atmosphere at Akosombo for camping ahead of their titanic clash on Monday with arch-rivals Kumasi Asante Kotoko in an effort to giver the players an unwavering concentration during their preparation.
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Last Tuesday morning, Coach Kenichi Yatsuhashi took his players through their paces at the Ajax Park at Legon after which they moved to Akosombo for camping but trained at nearby town of Kpong.
And to ensure the players were well motivated for the Super Monday at the Accra Stadium, the management of Hearts had gone ahead to settle all outstanding bonuses of the team.
This chairman of Hearts’ Strategic Management Committee, Vincent Sowah Odotei, disclosed to the Graphic Sports on telephone last Tuesday the management team was working assiduously to win Monday’s clash with Kotoko as part of a grand plan to reclaim the Premier League title which had eluded them for the last four seasons.
Statistics reveal that, the Porcupine Warriors have had the upper hand whenever the two giants meet in Accra, while the tables often turned around when they clash at the Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi.
Nonetheless, Mr Odotei is convinced the tables would turn this time, saying “winning this game is a must for us at Hearts of Oak”.
“Kotoko themselves know that we shall win irrespective of previous results. The team will be camping in Akosombo but they will be training at Kpong so they are leaving today. We don’t want to take anything for granted ahead of this game. Not at all.”
The importance of a home victory is not lost on Hearts’ experienced midfielder, Mustapha Essuman, who said “the winning mentality runs deep in the playing body to rewrite history”.
The hardworking player told the Graphic Sports that they were bent on giving their teeming supporters a perfect “May Day” present beating Kotoko on Monday.
“It is true that they win against us most times in Accra but Insha Allah…Kunfa Yekum we will change that story this year no matter what it takes. I am confident of that and my teammates are also confident so we will win,” he said confidently.
“Our clash with Kotoko is just one of the normal matches in this league so we will play a normal game but being our home match we will get the points,” he added.
Essuman, who had faced Kotoko on many occasions during his spell at Liberty Professionals, praised in-form striker Cosmos Dauda for taking his chances and scoring two important goals against Ashantigold at Obuasi last Sunday and urged him to perform similar magic for the three points at stake and for pride.