Former Hearts of Oak coach Herbert Addo speaks to Citi Sports’ Thierry Nyann and opens up on his time at the club, speculation on his lottery habits and how some players ignored training sessions.
One tends to measure the quality and class of a coach – especially a club coach – purely in terms of results and trophies won.
Herbert Addo certainly delivers in this department: with him on the bench, either in charge or as assistant coach. He was number 2 to Jones Attuquayefio when Goldfields won the local league in 1996.
Even though he did not win the league with Hearts in 2003, he guided them through the campaign without any blemishes. Certainly, that can be seen as an achievement if Arsene Wenger’s team of 2003 did same and they were christened “The Invincibles”.
The former Inter Allies coach was tasked to bring the famous rainbow-coloured team back to its glory days, but the sky turned dark and eventually, the project was washed up.
Herbert Addo put together a very good run for Hearts of Oak in their games in the CAF Confederations Cup; a competition they last played in 2004 and won.
This season, though, they failed to make the money zone after they were beaten by Esperance 5-1 on aggregate.
Why?
Simple.
The usual mix of Ghanaian clubs struggling financially and a terrible attitude from players.
The negative turn soon came up on the form in the league and eventually Addo was sacked or as we would have it, “a parting of ways” of club and coach. That is what the club said.
Coach Addo confirmed this to Citi Sports and stated that once the results were not good, there was no need to to continue the relationship.
“It was an agreement between management and myself that I should relinquish the post and hopefully if that happens, it might help in the progression of the team.
“If it helps the team, then I am happy to be part of it. We did everything we could as a technical team and the players did their best too but results were not good enough.
“The chances were created in the second half of the season but the goals did not follow and when they told me about this, I agreed. So it was mutual.”
The poor results Addo talks about are summed up in these numbers: 6 wins, 8 draws and 7 losses.
Was Hearts a wrong turn for Addo?
His decisions to move from one club to the other are not questionable as most of his stints among the several clubs he has managed have ended with long anticipated glory.
Many will recall the “Miracle of Tema” two seasons ago when Inter Allies survived a relegation scare to finish in the top six on the league table but those who remember Addo, will hark back to his days with Asante Kotoko in 2009 when he helped the Porcupine Warriors mount an unlikely challenge for the league title.
Their 2-1 defeat to AshantiGold meant they missed out of effectively on the winning the title.
However, that was not to darken his glittering stint in Kumasi.
Herbert Addo chose to take the opportunity at Hearts after his excellent run of results at Inter Allies, but it is very obvious he was disappointed with what the reality he saw as compared to the great times he imagined.
“Before I came to the club, I knew the leaders and Togbe Afede XIV personally and I still have a lot of respect for the man so when I started the job, I knew would back me.
Herbert Addo seated with Robin Gnagne (right) and Shaun October
However, there are several people who are against the man for reasons I cannot comprehend.
We had directors like Dr. Nyaho Tamakloe, Commodore Mensah and Frank Nelson that convinced me to believe everything was in its right place but there came problems.
“I felt the challenges started with the supporters and their love for the team. Some of them will not eat when the team loses and the this led to several agitations.
They were over enthusiastic and I saw factions of the fans who did these things but I cannot pinpoint what the actual problem was.” said Addo sounding lamentable.
He went ahead to laugh off speculation that he was into lottery rather than focusing on guiding the team and said: “I don’t know anything about lotto.”
But he then sounded concerned about the team’s predicament and wondered if he was an actor in the soap opera.
“There must be a problem in the club, I don’t know and I am very sad. Maybe I am the problem, am serious about it. Now that I’m gone, let’s see if things change for the better at the club.
What’s the thing with unpaid salaries?
Addo admitted that the club had some challenges paying salaries but he said salary delays would not stop him from doing his job diligently.
“For me when I am working, I know am working for money and to take care of my family, if my salary is delayed for one month or two, I see it as no problem.
“That even urges you to work harder. I don’t know of any Ghanaian club, offices, doctors or teachers whose salaries have not been delayed before.”
That is not too strange a stance on the coach’s part because in 1987, Addo turned down a huge offer from Liberian authorities to allow Liberia to win a match against Ghana and that is a testament of the man’s integrity.
“My captain at the time was Opoku Nti and he informed me that he had been approached by Sgt. Doe with a bribe offer of $70,000 to throw the match.
In the end, we decided to ignore the offer and play to the best of our abilities, and we ended up winning 2-1,” the coach said in an interview with footy-ghana.com in December 2014.
Player Selections
When the conversation between a few Hearts of Oak players including goalkeeper Tetteh Luggard, Paul Acquah, Issa Mumuni, Isaac Oduro and Vincent Atinga leaked, it left the fans really disappointed.
While the voices on the tape expressed disappointment at management’s failure to pay their salaries over the past three months and mocking the club’s current form leaked, one of them questioned Addo’s selection criteria.
However, the coach stands by his decisions while at the club.
“If people come to training from day one to match-day, they will know why I make certain selections. Some players come to training once every four days.
Hearts of Oak celebrating goal. During the First Capital Plus Ghana Premier League ( © CM IMAGES GH / Christian Thompson )
“There were times I wanted to sack certain players but because they were registered players. There was little I could do.”
“Those who criticize my decisions should rather speak to the players they claim to care about to be serious about their work.”
Good memories?
Ironically, the 64-year old straightaway points to the players he worked with when I asked him about the good times he will remember after leaving Hearts of Oak.
“Look, the crop of players Hearts of Oak have is a very good one. They have great prospects in the team.
“However, a lot of them are very inexperienced and they were the ones who were willing to kill themselves for the club.
” I started a program at the club to mould the younger ones and the older players who were prepared to work.
Players like (Abdoulaye) Soulama, Robin Gnagne, (Joseph) Owusu Bempah were willing players who wanted to help the club. If Hearts manage to get a fantastic goal scorer, someone who will do his best for the club, it will be a fantastic team.”
GHC 100,000 compensation?
“What compensation?” he asked when I posed the question on a possible severance since he had been left go a few months into his 2-year deal.
Corporate Affairs Manager of Hearts of Oak, Joe Addo
He went on: “I have a contract with the club and we mutually cancelled the contract so I know nothing about any compensation. They will pay the remaining of my contract with them.
“I don’t know anything about compensation, neither do I know anything about lotto.” he laughed.
What’s next for you?
“If you ask any coach, they are open to offers when they are out of the job and if the job appeals to them, they will move.
I need to weigh any offers that comes in and I will make a decision about what I do next but don’t expect me in any club this season, maybe next season. I am going to rest now.”
A failed mission?
Maybe, but Hebert Addo knows the job was akin to drinking from a poisoned chalice and now out of the club after the “death” of his contract, he will quickly want to move on so ha can forget this sad episode.
But it does not leave his C.V. and he must deal with it.
By: Thierry Nyann/citifmonline.com/Ghana
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