New Edubiase United Chief, Abdul Salam Yakubu has criticized Accra Hearts of Oak’s recruitment approach following their poor start to the 2023/24 Ghana Premier League season.
The Phobians have lost their opening two matches against Basake Holy Stars and Heart of Lions, sparking frustration among fans, with some calling for the dismissal of head coach Aboubakar Ouattara and others questioning the quality of the current squad.
In an interview on Promise Radio, Abdul Salam Yakubu pointed to Hearts of Oak’s reliance on player trials as a key factor behind their struggles.
He argued that the club should focus on acquiring proven top talents from the Premier League, rather than conducting trials to assess potential signings.
“Hearts should stop signing ‘justify’ [trial] players. They are a big club and need to sign top guys in the Ghana Premier League,” Salam said.
“Justify your inclusion exercises are more suited to Division One and Two clubs. That’s what we do at Edubiase, so it’s surprising that a club as big as Hearts would need to assess players at their training grounds before signing them.”
He further emphasized that Hearts of Oak, given their stature, should model their recruitment after top African clubs like Al Ahly, by consistently signing quality players.
“They are a big club, like Al Ahly and other top African teams, so they must sign top players. Maybe that’s why they’ve had a poor start.”
With Hearts of Oak currently sitting at the bottom of the table, the club’s recruitment strategy has come under increased scrutiny as they seek to turn their season around.
Hearts play Bechem United in their next league encounter.
