Decades ago, when the Ghana League is about to start all the talk in town centres around Glorious Hearts Of Oaks.
Will the mighty Oak Tree retain the tittle? Who can stop the Phobia boys? This was the days of the 64 Battalions, one of the greatest squad ever to grace African football.
They won the Ghana league trophy for a records six times on a row. The days when fans go to the stadium not to watch Hearts win but to witness poetry of football. Like a line in the hit song Angelina song by Hip Life group Praye,
“now a days the rhythm change ooo”. Things are not the same now. The mighty oak tree is ailing. For about 4 seasons now the Phobia boys starts the season harbouring a dream of regaining their past glory but before the 2nd round starts the dream is reduced to infighting and radio talks shop.
The 2015/16 league season starts this weekend and once again the Continental Club master will look to rebuild.
The euphoria surrounding them this time around is low. The decision to appoint an unknown Japanese coach didn’t go well with the fans. Everyone has written them off. One good thing about the happenings in the off season is, it has lowered expectations. This is very good for coach Kenechi Yatsuhashi. Hearts are approaching the season like a serpent, low on the ground but very deadly when it sees a prey. They open their season with a duel against New Edubiase United, a club that did a perfect double over them last season with 2-1 win both in Accra and Obuasi.
Since the dawn of a new millennium, Hearts has lost just one opening game match going as far back to 2005 when Ekow Gansah led the then newly promoted Ebusua Dwarfs side to a 3-2 victory over Hearts of Oaks at the Accra Sports Stadium.
New Edubiase, Hearts’ opponent on Sunday themselves are not in any better shape. They’ve lost their talisman to Adansi rivals Ashanti Gold FC. I do see Kenichi Yatsuhashi making his GPL bow with a narrow victory over the ‘Yen ko nkoa’ boys come Sunday at the Accra Sports Stadium.
Before Hearts play their game, their bitterest rival open the season on Saturday with a trip to Sogokope to face WAFA.
The Porcupine Warriors go into the season as favourites judging by their transfer activities and preparation. Duncan has the needed arsenal to mount a title challenge this year. The untimely injury to holding midfielder Owusu Jackson who carelessly broke his legs in a neighbourhood ‘Sunday stars’ game a week to the start of the league will defiantly affect coach Duncan’s tactical plans but Kotoko has an adequate replacement in Kwadwo Poku.
Back to Saturday’s afternoon game they will be missing the services of last season’s sensation Dauda Mohammed and new signing Kwame Boateng leaving Obed Owusu and Elvis Amoh as the only strikers available. WAFA did surprised pundits last season not with their style of play but the results that accompanied their sweet passing game.
They however go into the season without 3 of their best performers in Felix Annan, Zakaria Mumuni and Maajed Ashimeru, the player who scored the match winner against Saturday’s opponent.
They however have been boasted by the return of Blackstars winger Samuel Tetteh who had left for trials abroad.
Come 15:00 GMT, the season opener promises to be a befitting opener. Will Kotoko a pull a revenge on the Academy lads? Or the soccer academician will dent the red’s tittle challenge?
Aduana are noted for their pragmatic style of play, creating few chances and conceding few. This time around the team is blessed with attacking talents. They have by far the best transfer amongst the 16 premier league clubs. Notable names amongst their signings are WAFA’s tricky winger Zakaria Mumuni, Bechem United’s free scoring midfielder Noah Martey, Richard Mpong and Yahaya Mohammed. Aside the on-field purchases they have acquired a new team bus to make traveling more comfortable. They are really serious about mounting a tittle challenged.
Their first hurdle is against Inter Allies, a club coached by their title winning manager Herbert Addo. Aduana Stars have tasted defeats in each of their away games against Inter Allies at the Tema Park. Inter Allies are without their shrewd defensive partnership for this season having farmed out Baba Mensah, the best defender for last season and his partner Joseph Aidoo, their ex captain to Swedish sides BK Hacken and Hammarby IF respectively. Though Aduana Stars are yet to net a goal against Inter Allies at Tema park they go into the game as favourites. The pace of Zakaria Mumuni, the tricks of Seth Opare, the attacking flair of Noah Martey coupled with the power of Yahaya Mohammed means they are in to break their goal duck at the Tema Park against the ‘Eleven Is To One’ boys who will be missing last season’s best defensive pair.
In other games in week one, Defending Champions Ashanti Gold will welcome FA Cup winners Medeama SC to the Obuasi Len Clay Stadium in a rematch of the season curtain raiser, Super Cup, a game the Tarkwa Mauves won by a lone goal. AshGold will need to avenge the super cup defeat to serve as a morale boaster for the return leg of their CAF Champions League tie with Algeria side MO Bejaia. This fixture last season ended in a 2-1 win in favour of the Miners.
At the Robert Mensah Stadium at Cape Coast, there will be a clash of two newly promoted clubs. Ebusua Dwarfs will host debutant Dreams FC who will be playing their first ever Premier League game. The packed Swedu park will be behind the Mysterious lads, and with 27 goal man Bright Lukeman still in their ranks, Dreams FC will be given a welcome they never dreamt of.
Far away in Wa will see Allstars battle it out with troubled Hasaacas. The Do boys dominated air waves the past week for the wrong reason as their players staged a strike over non-payment of salaries for several months. Wa Allstars are expected to add to their woes.
Techiman City fresh from securing a sponsorship deal from Samara Company Limited, manufactures and distributors of SASSO insecticide will entertain Berekum Chesea in a Brong Ahafo regional derby. Techiman City have in their team lanky striker Stephen Manu aka B.A. This being their Premiership bow I do expect the local fans to be at their enthusiastic best to help their team defeat the Berekum Blues.
By Akromah Hawk Acquah
Follow on twitter @Sir_hawk