Ex-Ghana star Johnson fears Hearts could crumble

Posted On Wednesday, 12th September 2012

Hearts' fans won't tolerate a trophyless season

By Patrick Akoto

Ex-Ghana international Sam Johnson fears recent happenings in Hearts could be a backward step for their title ambitions.

The capital-based side will wrap up their camping activities at Sekondi on Friday after embarking on an intensive pre-season exercise over the past three weeks.

But what seemed a successful pre-season programme has been overshadowed by recent revelations about the poor quality of facilities at their base.

Experienced midfielder Laryea Kingston launched a vicious broadside against coach CK Akunnor for sacking him from camp for undermining his authority.

The ex-Ghana international took his own personal effects such as mattrees and water to camp which infuriated the coach and subsequently led to his dismissal.

The former Hearts strong-centre back has waded into the controversy and says the recent developments do not enhance the image of the club and could affect the psyche of the players ahead of this season.

“Some of us are worried about what is going on. First of all why will a team like Hearts go all the way to Sekondi for pre-season camping when they knew the facilities there were not good enough? Johnson questioned on Accra-based Citi FM

“I am not supporting what Laryea did but we must understand that he came into the team after playing abroad for many years.

“That is not how the players there are treated. I will not allow my player to sleep in such a place. I am surprised CK was there and sanctioned their stay there.

“How does the coach expects them to perform? They will get to the training grounds already tired.

“It is an insult to the players. Who is going to respect them? I can say that everyone respect Kotoko players because they are doing the right thing.

“Even if it is not up to 100%, it is far far better than how Hearts are doing their things. What is happening is bad and I am afraid it might affect them.”

Hearts have played catch-ups to emerging forces like Berekum Chelsea and Aduana Stars and lost out on the Premier League crown to Kotoko.

Failure to reclaim the title from their sworn rivals will be seen as a massive failure for a club that conquered Africa in 2000.

The club’s top brass are under pressue to deliver the title to their suffering fans who have been starved of the trophy for the past three seasons.

Related Images

READERS COMMENTS

Roland Konadu says:

September 12, 2012 at 4:25 pm

We admit there were some problems with the tap flowing for two days. That has been addressed a long time. Why is Sam Johnson coming out now with such an awkward rantlings? It would be folly on his part to attempt to compare kotoko players to Hearts. He shd know that Hearts of Oak is the best and greatest club in Ghana. Why did he himself play for Hearts of Oak not kotoko is indeed kotoko’s players are highly respected. He shd spare us his stupid, ignorance and naive analysis.

Reply to this Comment
- maka says:
  
  September 12, 2012 at 7:41 pm
  
  roland, u sucker! u know why he did not play for kotoko? it was because he loved hearts—period! and loving hearts doesn’t mean u shud be taken for a ride! Management must let us know whether or not the facilities were good or not…and if they were good, why was coach C.K sleeping in town and driving to training? Why was he not there with the players sleeping at the same grounds?
  
  And by the way, what is wrong if Laryea took his own bottle of water and mattress? What’s wrong with that??
  
  Treating players with substandard conditions does not make them disciplined!
  
  Reply to this Comment
  - never say die says:
    
    September 13, 2012 at 7:12 am
    
    u are a fool even in uk there are light of and water problems so johnson should shut up when he came to hearts what did he do enemies of progress
    
    Reply to this Comment
Roland Konadu says:

September 12, 2012 at 4:28 pm

We admit there were some problems with the tap flowing for two days. That has been addressed a long time. Why is Sam Johnson coming out now with such an awkward rantlings? It would be folly on his part to attempt to compare kotoko players to Hearts. He shd know that Hearts of Oak is the best and greatest club in Ghana. Why did he himself play for Hearts of Oak not kotoko if indeed kotoko’s players are highly respected. He shd spare us his stupid, ignorance and naive analysis.

Reply to this Comment
Boss says:

September 12, 2012 at 5:02 pm

Johnson ur right

Reply to this Comment
Fresher says:

September 12, 2012 at 5:16 pm

Good words here by Sam Johnson, I hope this will serve as a food-for-thought to the Phobian fraternity for soul searching. This is a clear indication that Sam Johnson has recovered from the Phobian MORAL disorder, it is no wonder that somebody here is yet to recover has just couldn’t accept the fact of what Sam Johnson admitted and has insulted him.

Reply to this Comment
Dr. Zomito says:

September 12, 2012 at 5:40 pm

What CK is doing is all a joke!!!!! Hearts will not go anywhere. When he was kicked out from being a captain we all heard the groaning, revealing how pathetic this guy is. Lets wait and see if he will ever do anything super as a coach.

Reply to this Comment
kimco says:

September 12, 2012 at 6:48 pm

roland- the ignoranceand irony oozing from ur post is horrifying. We love phobia so let’s get things straight up here dude, ryt now kotoko players have the best of treatment, atleast compared to hearts. Who wouldn’t want to play for a team that treat their team to the best of conditions, i know i will. I know leryea is a show off and all but he wasn’t wrong for trying to provide for himself a better condition, one which the team refused to provide for him. This is 2012 for christ sakes c’mon, such thinking should be a thing of the past.

Reply to this Comment
Bart-odei nanor says:

September 12, 2012 at 10:30 pm

sam johnson should mind hiz business and live hearts alone,we never say die!

Reply to this Comment
ibrahim says:

September 13, 2012 at 11:09 am

We should not forget that just last season, the Liz complex was hired by this management for one month for team hearts with Laryea, what was the results at the end of the season? We shouldn’t sound as if the management intentionally put the team in a substandard environment. afterall laryea is not the only player from abroad in hearts, what about seth owusu and sammy adjei. everywhere he goes controversy seem to follow him, the thing with pride and ego is that you may think you are being principled or outspoken, but it gradually destroys your destiny, Israel, Scotland, black stars, now hearts of oak, all of them are wrong only laryea is right all the time. yoooooo

Reply to this Comment

Click Here For All Latest football news.

Live Radio

http://ghanasoccernet.com/new/images/banners/onair.gif

Live TV

LATEST HEADLINES

Magnificent Afum stuns Servette with classy strike

Ghana's Samuel Afum scored a sublime finish to give Young Boys a deserving 1-0 win over bottom-placed FC servette in the Swiss Super League on Saturday.

Mensah sent off in Ostersunds’ defeat as Shaze makes injury return

Ghanaian defender Sam Mensah was sent off in Ostersunds’ 3-1 defeat to Varberg on Saturday – where Isaac Shaze also made a triumphant return to first team action.

Serie A promotional joy for Sassuolo Ghanaian duo Boakye and Chibsah

Ghanaian duo Richmond Boakye-Yiadom and Yussif Raman Chibsah were in action for Sassuolo on Saturday as they got promoted to Serie A for the first time in their 91-year history.