FootyDream

Hearts of Oak launched a poor start to this season’s Ghana Premier League but has managed to fight into the top four. They are 2 and 5 points above third place Medeam SC and second place Bechem Unite respectively. They convincingly beat Accra Lions 3-0 last Friday to boost their chances to finish even in a second place.

Some top performers have been key to Hearts’ top four place but could lose them at the end of the season. The likes of Frederick Ansah Botchway, Mohammed Alhassan, Daniel Afriyie Barnieh and Sulley Muntari have become untouchable in Samuel Boadu starting XI but see their contract expire at the end of the season.

If Hearts fail to reach new agreement with their stars, they will leave on a free transfer. Hearts may wish to keep them beyond this season despite fighting against transfer interests from Africa and Europe for some of these stars.

Kickgh.com has make a revelation that the players below see their current contract expire at this term’s ending.

Larry Ibrahim Sumaila
Once a crucial member of the Hearts squad, Sumaila has become somewhat of a forgotten figure at the club, only limited to cheerleading roles. With his contract expiring at the end of the season, it is highly unlikely that he will be offered a new contract by the club management.

Frederick Ansah Botchway

Botchway has been an important player for Hearts when called upon and despite his good displays, his game time has been limited this season and with his contract running down at the end of the season, management might have a big decision on their hands, though it is understood that they will look to keep him and offer him a new deal.

Mohammed Alhassan

An incredibly solid defender if not the most spectacular. Alhassan has been a cornerstone of Samuel Boadu’s Hearts side this term. Hearts’ vice-captain has yet to sign a new deal and he wouldn’t be short of suitors, at home or abroad, if he were allowed to leave.

However, it would be a huge surprise if Hearts allowed the intelligent centre-back to depart, although he is still waiting to sign a new contract.

Daniel Afriyie Barnieh

Barnie is on a roll at the moment. He has scored and assisted in Hearts’ recent games.
While he has remained mum on his future, the club are understood to be extremely keen to keep hold of the forward as they see him as the player around who they want to build their side and would not want to lose him, especially at this moment.

Patrick Razak

The winger missed the first half of the season because he was deemed not good by Boadu but the club’s shambolic display, there was a lot of cry by fans of the club to have Razak registered for the second round. He, surely repaid their trust in him with some splendid displays to become one of the club’s most important players now.

With uncertainty surrounding his future, no one knows if he will continue his bromance with the Phobians at the end of the season.

Richmond Ayi

Richmond Ayi joined Hearts in 2018 on a free transfer having previously played for WAFA SC. He was club’s number one until he lost his position to Richard Attah who joined from Elmina Sharks a season later. This season, Ayi has kept the post on 15 occasions, conceding 10 times with 6 clean sheets.
Ayi’s four-year-deal with the Phobians expires in December and there is the likelihood the netminder might not extend his stay with the Phobians.

Sulley Muntari

The Ghana legend has been very instrumental since he joined the Phobians in February on a short-term deal. Muntari’s contract with the Phobians ends at the end of the season. He is another player who Hearts should keep hold off at all costs.

Vincentia Deku, the President of Hearts of Oak Ladies, the Phobian club’s Female Supporters Wing, has questioned the loyalty of football fans, who fail to contribute financially to their favored Ghana Premier League clubs by patronizing games at the stadia.

Asides the Super Clash between Asante Kotoko and Hearts of Oak, which recently attracted an attendance of 15,965 fans in a match-day 24 fixture in Kumasi, most GPL games, involving clubs with a relatively lower fan base, have struggled with patronage at game centres.

The low attendance recorded at GPL games has been blamed on a myriad of issues ranging from perceived poor security of league venues to the influx of foreign football leagues on local TV and Radio shows.

Attendance metrics show the GPL match-day 26 fixture between Asante Kotoko and Legon Cities in Kumasi drew in just 2069 spectators, while only 954 fans were at the Accra Sports Stadium to watch Hearts of Oak play Elmina Sharks in the match-day 25.

“You can’t be supporting a club and not come to the stadium, how do you expect the club to get money to run the affairs of the team,” Vincentia Deku opined on the Saving the Passion Show on GTV Sports Plus.

Asides sales from match tickets, local football clubs are expected to explore other avenues of revenue generation including player transfers, sponsorship, league broadcast rights and merchandising, which involves the sale of replica kits and paraphernalia.