Soccer News of Saturday, 26 February 2005

Source: GNA

Hearts name new captain

Accra, Feb 26, GNA - The management board of Accra Hearts of Oak Sporting Club has named Lawrence Adjah-Tetteh as the acting captain of the club. The decision comes after the sudden departure of Yaw Amankwah Mireku, the sustantative captain of the team who left for trials in Turkey last Tuesday.

According to Mr Ashford Tettey-Oku, Administrative Manager of the Club, Adjah-Tetteh is one of the most disciplined and dedicated players of the team, who has also contributed to the success of the club on both the domestic and continental levels. Adjah-Tetteh, a member of the 2000 squad that won the CAF Champions League and the Super Cup in 2001, joined Hearts from Dawu Youngsters Club, former Premier League campaigners before the start of the 2000 soccer season.

The tireless midfielder is well remembered for his historic equaliser in the second leg match of the Confederation Cup final game against Kumasi Asante Kotoko at the Kumasi Sports Stadium, which pushed the game into the penalty shoot out which enabled Hearts to emerge as the eventual winners.

With this development, the player is expected to lead his colleagues unto the pitch in their match against Dolphins Football Club of Nigeria in the first leg of the second round of the 2005 CAF Champions League on Sunday, March 6 in Nigeria.

In another development, goal-keeper Sammy Adjei has been granted a provisional International Transfer Certificate (ITC) by the Ghana Football Association (GFA) to enable him continue his career with Hearts. This follows the silence of the Tunisian Football Federation (TFF) on the matter, after Hearts had requested for Adjei's ITC from them. Adjei was last season transferred to Tunisian side Club Africain but had to abandon his contract midway following what he described as the inhumane treatment meted out to him from his team-mates.

The keeper who doubles as the nation's number one, resumed training last Friday with his colleagues and is expected to make an appearance for the team soon.