Soccer News of Thursday, 20 March 2008

Source: GNA

Hearts completes two year deal with Taylor

Accra, March 20, GNA - Defending League champions, Accra Hearts of Oak Sporting Club on Thursday signed a two year deal with former player Charles Taylor.

Taylor, has thus been registered by the Hearts for the 2007/8 Premier League soccer season.

Harry Zakkour, Chairman of the Interim Management Committee (IMC) of Hearts in an address at a brief press signing on ceremony in Accra said the decision to secure the services of the player is to strengthen the attacking machinery of the Club in the premiership. He regretted that the present attack of the team lacks the needed bite up front, hence the uncomfortable position of the Club on the league table.

Zakkour announced that plans are in place to sign on four more players, most of them strikers, adding that the Club will unveil the players to the public in due course.

The IMC Chairman said the ceremony has therefore come at the appropriate time to end speculations over the status of the player, saying "Taylor is now the bonafide property of Hearts." According to the IMC Chairman, both Hearts and the managers of the player have agreed to keep the financial details of the deal to their chest due to previous controversies surrounding the player. Zakkour expressed the hope that the player's comeback will be a successful one and called on the supporters to provide him the needed moral and spiritual support to succeed and help the Club reclaim its past glory.

Al Wahab, a consultant to the managers of the player said Taylor's decision to rejoin Hearts was to enable him re-launch his football career.

According to Al Wahab, the player sees Hearts as the appropriate platform to revive his promising career and realize his cherished dreams.

He assured all that the player is in the best physical condition with an incredible form, adding that "Charles Taylor will be the toast of fans in the coming season." Taylor, a member of the year 2000 all conquering squad of Hearts of Oak, stirred a major controversy with his record move to arch rivals Kumasi Asante Kotoko in 2004.

He later joined Tunisian giants Etoile Du Sahel but had to abandon the contract with the North Africans as a result of lack of playing time and injuries.

Kotoko managed to secure the services of the player on a six month loan deal but could not renew it following huge demands by the Tunisians.

Hearts renewed their interest for the player and are reported to have dolled out 20, 000 dollars for the services of the striker after flying him out to South Africa for treatment of a career threatening injury.