Kotoko, Hearts must wake up to reality

A former Black Stars left-back, John Paintsil, has challenged Kotoko and Hearts of Oak to start catching up if they want to compete for the league title this season.

According to him, the earlier they put their acts together as the giants of the local league, the better it would be because they were the source of inspiration for most of the clubs in the league.

Speaking to the Graphic Sports last Friday, the former Berekum Arsenal and Liberty Professional player said the days when the two most glamorous clubs could fight from behind to win the trophy were long gone.

While admitting that this season’s league is very entertaining and more competitive, Paintsil was disappointed by the inability of the fans to patronise it, insisting that their presence at the stadia would help the players a lot.

“If you are Kotoko or Hearts, you are not above anyone, when you win you take the same three points so it’s how you start and how you believe in yourself”, the former West Ham player said.

After five matches in the betPawa Premier League, the two giants are below the top four, and John Painstil told the Graphic

Sport in an interview that until they intensified their effort to win their matches, they could be left behind.

“When you are in the league, there is no early stage, once you start you start. Some teams will pick their points at the early stages and drop at the end so football is dynamic and things can change”, he noted.

He warned Hearts and Kotoko that once they became complacent they could be taken by surprise, and challenged them to start doing their things right by winning their matches because it would be difficult to win the premier league. 

“Those who are not picking it (points) early they will be surprised, so the moment the league starts it is gone. Teams like Kotoko and Hearts need to put their things right because they are the giants in Ghana that a lot of clubs look up to.

It is up to the young team that are picking the points early to keep their form to the end because winning the Ghana Premier League is not easy”, he asserted.