A highly positive Samuel Boadu believes Accra Hearts of Oak have the qualities to run shoulders with the elite on the continent.
The Phobians by virtue of winning the 2020-21 Ghana Premier League will have the sole ticket of representing the country in the CAF Champions League. The competition serves as a gathering of elite clubs on the continent and is often seen as a higher standard than Ghana’s premier league.
However, Samuel Boadu has debunked such claims insisting the competition is no different from the level of football played in the country.
In his words, Ghana and precisely Hearts of Oak equally have the quality to make the needed impact on such a platform.
The 35 year old made these claims while speaking to TV3 in an exclusive interview.
He started by telling the GPL Express Show his wish to retain the current Hearts squad for next season.
“I wish I can maintain this team for the next season. For the team to find that chemistry, they will need time,” he said.
Hearts of Oak will bid to become the first Ghanaian side to make the group stage of the competition in over a decade. With majority of opinion holders believing attaining such a mark is a big ask, Samuel Boadu holds a contrary view.
He said, “Africa is all about the name. Aside that there’s nothing different. You might think the Hearts of Oak players are not up to the standard, but for me, I feel they are up to that standard and they can do it.
“It’s a normal thing, just like our normal matches that we play. As Ghanaians we have good players, but normally we rate other countries higher by looking at the names and physique of their players and the money they have.
“But on the field of play when the players are determined to prove a point, they definitely can. All we need to do is to work hard through training drills to prepare them…Making corrections and getting the right directions during matches will also take us there. It’s not about the size or names,” he added.
Hearts of Oak last won the CAF Champions League in 2000, their only success in the competition.
