Go for proven winners, not division-one players - Frank Nelson tells Hearts management

Former Accra Hearts of Oak board member, Frank Nelson, has expressed concern over the club’s recent decline in performance, advising management to prioritize the recruitment of professional players with top-tier experience.

Nelson's remarks come after the Phobians’ underwhelming start to the season, where they have won just two of their first eight matches under new coach Aboubakar Ouattara, drawing three and losing three.

Speaking in an interview with LUV FM, Nelson attributed the club’s struggles to questionable recruitment practices, pointing out the need to focus on signing players who have proven themselves in the Ghana Premier League or other high-level competitions.

Go for players who are tried and tested, not playing for Division One or Two clubs, but players who have tasted the premiership and achieved laurels with their clubs, Nelson advised.

He cited past examples such as Yaw Sakyi, who was a standout at Asante Kotoko, and Eric Gawu, who was a key player for King Faisal, emphasizing that Hearts of Oak is not a club that can afford mediocrity.

While many fans have called for the dismissal of coach Ouattara following the disappointing results, Nelson emphasized that the issues run deeper than just coaching.

First of all, I won’t blame the coach or the playing body, but we need to look at the problem holistically and know exactly where it's coming from, he said.

He raised questions about whether the club's recent player acquisitions were truly worthy of playing for a club of Hearts of Oak's stature.

Nelson recalled the club’s tradition of signing top players from other successful Ghanaian teams, a strategy that has contributed to their rich history. He pointed to past signings like Anthony Annan from Sekondi Hasaacas and Eric Gawu from King Faisal, players who brought experience and quality to the team.

Well, I don’t think these are the best players in Ghana for Accra Hearts of Oak. Accra Hearts of Oak I know in those days is the club that goes for the best players, like going for Yaw Sakyi from Kotoko, going for Eric Gawu from King Faisal, Anthony Annan from Hasacas etc,

Scouting has been another area of concern for the former board member. Nelson noted that Hearts of Oak has not had an effective system in place for identifying and recruiting top talent in recent years.

While a few players have been promoted from the junior ranks, the club's overall recruitment strategy has been inconsistent, with too many players coming and going each season.

I don’t think we should wait till the end of the season to do a wholesale recruitment as we did this season. We brought in about 15 players, and that's not ideal for a club aiming to progress. Inconsistent recruitment leads to a lack of team chemistry, Nelson remarked.

He called for a more strategic approach to player signings, emphasizing the importance of building a strong scouting team to identify quality talent ahead of each season. We need a solid scouting team that can help us scout the best players. It’s essential for the long-term success of the club.

Hearts of Oak eyes the Ghana Premier League title, but that could only come to them if they put in hard work both off and on the field.

Hearts of Oak next game

Ouattara will be hoping to turn things around for the Phobians when they travel to Tarkwa to play Medeama SC in match week nine of the Ghana Premier League.

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