Accra, Feb 27, GNA - "Leave the team, leave the team, leave the team, Tommy leave the team". These were the words of aggrieved fans of Accra Hearts Of Oak Sporting Club, as they protested against the management team headed by Mr Thomas Okine on Sunday. The angry fans gathered in front of the VIP Lounge of the Ohene Djan Sports Stadium in Accra just after the end their goalless drawn game against Real Tamale United (RTU) to lodge their protest, which lasted over 20 minutes as a way of voicing out their anger over what they described as the poor performance of the team and the security personnel on duty had to calm them down.

The fans, who watched in anguish as their team failed to beat (RTU) in the Coca Top Four match at the Ohene Djan Sports Stadium, are demanding for the resignation of the management team following the recent loses of the team. Hearts who needed massive victory to make their chances of winning the competition a reality, fielded a mostly second string side ahead of the game and hardly found their rhythm throughout the entire 90 minutes and had to end the match goalless.

The fans, in their protests could not understand why the team continues to perform below expectation match after match just after winning the prestigious Confederation Cup and questioned the absence of some of the key players. According to the fans, the management has not done enough to settle the outstanding debts owed the players hence their continuous absence at training and in matches. Most of the fans argued that with almost a week for the Club to begin its campaign in this years' CAF Champions League, the Club is still finding it difficult to assemble its players and have therefore put the blame squarely on the heads of the Management.

Mr Clement Dodoo, the Club's Management member in charge of Finance told the GNA Sports that, he is surprised about the actions of the fans because they are aware of the injury situation in the team's camp. He said that over ten players are battling with various degrees of injuries and are unfit for matches and the day's game. The management member said that the club does not owe the players any money in terms of salaries or bonuses. He said that the only issue to be sorted out was the outstanding 50,000 dollars promised the players for winning the Confederation Cup competition.

Mr Dodoo said the Club was however yet to fulfil its promise to the players because CAF has not yet released their prize money for winning the novelty competition. He said that management would not hesitate to release the money to the players immediately they get the money from CAF. Hearts are scheduled to play Dolphins of Nigeria in the second round of the first leg CAF Champions League on Sunday.