Former Ghana great Mohammed Polo says that former Hearts of Oak player Joseph Esso cannot not be blamed for leaving the club when his contract has expired.

The Accra-based club announced not long ago that they had parted ways with key striker Joseph Esso and four of his teammates namely Bernard Arthur, Christopher Bonney, Benjamin Agyare and Abubakar Traore.

According to the dribbling magician, the management of the club should be blamed for the player's exit as they were not proactive."You can't blame Esso for leaving Hearts of Oak, if the management were proactive, he would have stayed,” he told Kuamsi-based Akoma FM

“I disagree with anyone who says Hearts gave Esso a platform to stardom so he should have stayed, he has proven his value and so he deserved some recognition.”

"You can't blame the player, any other player would have done same.”

It is widely reported that the player wanted to sign for just a year while the club wanted to tie him down for more than a year's contract.

Meanwhile the Managing Director of the club, Mr Frederick Moore has accused the player and his guardian for being economical with the truth.