Accra, Nov 9, GNA - Mr Harry Sawyer, President of the Council of Patrons of Accra Hearts of Oak, has bemoaned the club's inability to implement an effective youth policy aimed at unearthing and grooming talents for the senior side.

Mr Sawyer in a statement copied to the GNA Sports on the occasion of the club's 96th birthday, said, the failure of the club to implement effective youth policies had compelled them to resort to the old way of massive recruitment of players at great cost.

According to Mr Sawyer, recruiting players had over the years been counter productive and had also compounded the debt profile of the club.

He said: "This has undermined our growth and development and I urge the Board to put its foot down and work towards reducing our debt". Mr Sawyer, however, noted that the club had been able to make some positive strides despite the difficulties and commended the management and playing body for retaining the league title and picking a place in the next continental competition.

He said the signing of a kit sponsorship agreement with Jako AG and consequential attraction to would be sponsors were highlights worthy of commendation adding that it should goad the club to professional heights.

Mr sawyer said giant strides had also been made with regard to the listing of the club on the stock market adding that, "floatation is only a matter of time".

He added that chapters had also started mobilization of funds from members to support the club and cautioned that the funds raised must be managed within the limits of the club's constitution. He also commended the Board of Directors for instituting a centenary planning committee and expressed the hope that, the Board and the Committee would work hard to ensure that the club would overcome its hurdles in the coming years.