Hearts of Oak players prioritise luxurious lifestyles over core duties – Former captain

Former Hearts of Oak captain Yaw Amankwaa Mireku has attributed the club’s recent poor performance to the current players’ focus on luxurious lifestyles rather than their responsibilities on the field.

In an interview with Kumasi-based Akoma FM, Amankwa Mireku expressed concern over the attitude of some players who, instead of appreciating the opportunity to play for Hearts of Oak, prioritise enjoyment and leisure.

Highlighting midfielder Ibrahim Salifu as an example, Mireku noted a lack of passion and commitment on the field, suggesting that players have lost sight of the dedication required to represent a club like Hearts of Oak.

“When Salifu joined the club, was this his performance? Now when he is playing you see no passion or zeal and he is always playing 90 minutes. This is because he has lost his focus of why he came to Hearts of Oak and instead is now enjoying,” Mireku stated.

Mireku emphasised the need for players to discard their luxurious lifestyles and focus on working hard to improve the team’s performance.

• Veteran coach Bashir Hayford charged with misconduct
• Nations FC not giving up on title chase, says head coach

“Now he is making money at Hearts of Oak. Instead of acknowledging the difficulty of playing for clubs like Hearts of Oak and putting in extra effort, he is just doing it anyhow. These current players manage to buy some small cars, line up the girls and that’s all it means for them. They must forget about the luxurious lifestyle and work hard.”

Yaw Amankwah Mireku, a former centre-back for Hearts of Oak, was part of the team that achieved success in the 2000 CAF Champions League and 2004 CAF Confederation Cup.

The Phobians sit 12th on the league table, with 35 points from 28 matches having lost five of their last six matches in the 2023/24 Ghana Premier League

Raphael Sarkodie|Akoma Sports|Ghana