Sports
Ex-Hearts’ board chairman explains failure to redeem promise to players … after 2000 CAF Champions League glory
Retired football administrator and former board chairman of Hearts of Oak, Mr Emmanuel Martey Commodore-Mensah, has disclosed that the cancellation of the 2001 FIFA Club World Championship played a key role in the club’s failed promise to the squad that won the 2000 CAF Champions League.
Players of the club’s ’64 battalion’ squad that delivered the trophy in 2000 have been bitter over the failure of the club to honour their $25,000-per-player promise made to them after winning the Champions League in that year.
Mr Commodore-Mensah, who was then a board member of the Rainbow team, said on Asempa FM that the club was very determined in delivering on its promise as it served as motivation for the players to win the Champions League and qualified for the 2001 FIFA Club World Championship in Spain, in the process.
“Yes, we made that promise, knowing that the World Club Championship was going to be the deal breaker financially.”
He explained, however, that later on FIFA announced that its marketing company in charge of the tournament, International Sports and Leisure (ISL), had gone bankrupt – hence cancellation of the Championship that year.
“For the cancellation, FIFA gave us some monies as compensation and not the monies we were expecting from the tournament for which we made that promise to the players, hence we failing to fulfill our promise to the latter.”
According to him, from the compensation money, they gave the technical team and the playing body some monies and used the rest of the money to offset debts accrued from the Champions League campaign.
“Yes, we rewarded the players enough for the history they made for the club that year. Given how much came to the club, we did what was needful. I know, I am prepared to put my hand on my chest and say we gave them something, as to whether it was enough or not, it is a discussion for another day, Mr Commodore-Mensah added.
BY RAYMOND ACKUMEY
Otto Addo is taking a calm and focused approach to the World Cup after being drawn against England, Panama, and Croatia in Group L.
“I look forward to every game as special,” he told ghanafa.org.
“Very important for us that we don’t underrate any team. For sure, England is the favourite in that group,” he acknowledged. “But for me as a coach, to be honest, I’m looking at each and every game equally.”
Addo is particularly focused on getting a strong start against Panama. “I’m hoping that we have a good start against Panama, that will be very, very crucial,” he said. “It will make the other games a little bit more relaxed and easier for the players psychologically. We will use the window of March for test matches, and then see,” he said.
Despite being a young team, Addo is proud of his squad’s progress. “I think we did very well in the qualifiers ” he said. “We didn’t lose a single official game, like the qualifying games, we did very well. We just played one draw and the rest we won, so we had quite a good year in 2025, after a bad year in 2024’’.
“Even though we have a very young team, we really, really did well, had a good harmony in the team, good union,” he added.
Ghana will open their FIFA World Cup campaign against Panama in Toronto on June 17 before facing England and Croatia in the other Group L matches on June 23 and 27 respectively.
The unbeaten away run of Accra Hearts of Oak will be put to the test tomorrow when they visit the Aliu Mahama Sports Stadium in Tamale to play as guests of Karela United. Described as one of the top-liners of the weekend games, the match will pitch one of the best home teams against the best away team, with their records on the line.
After playing a pulsating 2-2 draw with Kumasi Asante Kotoko last week, league leaders Medeama SC return to their fortress, the TnA Stadium, to welcome Berekum Chelsea FC in a clash of former league winners. Medeama have struggled in recent times to hold their own against the ‘Bibires’, losing their last four games both home and away.
However, according to Head Coach of Medeama, Tanko Ibrahim, that sequence of results will come to an end tomorrow as they look to crawl out of the claws of their opponents with victory. Eleven points separate the sides, with Berekum Chelsea lying a distant 14th position on the log. They have been a pale shadow of themselves this season, and it remains to be seen if Coach Samuel Boadu’s side can keep the bragging rights over the Yellow and Mauves in what has been described as one of their worse starts to a league season.
Today, second-placed Kpando Heart of Lions will trek to the Kwame Kyei Sports Complex in Abrankese to play as guests of struggling Nations FC. Having suffered a 1-0 away loss to Basake Holy Stars in their last game, Nations FC would look to pick all three points to better their current 12th position.
In other games, the Hohoe Sports Stadium will come alive as new boys Hohoe United FC welcome Kumasi Asante Kotoko. The Nii Adjei Kraku II Sports Complex in Tema will host the Vision FC versus Young Apostles FC game, the Tuba Astro Turf will host the Dreams FC versus Bechem United FC clash, while the Nsenkyire Sports Arena will host the Samartex FC versus Bibiani Gold Stars game. High-riding Aduana FC will sort things out with Basake Holy Stars at the Nana Agyeman Badu I Park in Dormaa.
By Raymond Ackumey
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