Former Board Member of Accra Hearts of Oak, Ernest Thompson
Former Board Member of Accra Hearts of Oak, Ernest Thompson has advised the Board and management members of Accra Hearts of Oak to take a risk and participate in the 2021/22 CAF Champions League.
The Phobians won the 2020/2021 Ghana Premier League trophy hence they will represent Ghana in the next CAF Champions League season. The club has not qualified for the CAF Champions League since 2006. They were supposed to participate in 2010 after winning the 2008/2009 Ghana Premier League but they declined the offer to go. The last time they played in Africa was in 2015.
Speaking in an interview with Ohene-Bampoe Brenya, on Happy Sports on Happy 98.9FM, Ernest Thompson said “I think we should take the risk and go. It is a risky venture. The team is so fired up and the supporters are so fired up. I would suggest that they take the risk. It can be financially burdensome if you don’t make it to the money stage but everybody has to take a risk once in a while.”
“I think the sky is the limit now and we have to sustain what we have achieved after winning the league by trying to get back to Africa and see what we can do there.”-he added.
According to him, the club needs to strategise and keep the team together going to Africa.
“Let’s hope that they can keep the team together and do a quick analysis of the team and decide on what else they have to do to get the team ready for Africa because that is a different ball game altogether. There is a lot of pressure when it comes to that. There is parental pressure and even from the players. Let’s be personal here, if the player is your brother, will you say he shouldn’t go? Let’s be realistic.
“I hope the directors and board don’t have to go through this but if it happens they have to find a way out because to play in Africa, you will have to put the club together. I can recount the number of times parents were at my gate early in the morning pleading to let their children go because they are their breadwinners. “
“You have to go outside the box and think of how to maintain the player and I tell you, it is not easy. It is not easy at all because these players are praying to go out and if the offer comes, you might not be able to pay”-he added.
The 2000 CAF Champions League winner will be making a return to the CAF competition for the first time in a decade.