Sammy Adjei Joins Club Africain

Accra, July 27, Graphic -- Accra Hearts of Oak and Black Stars goalkeeper, Sammy Adjei, has joined Club Africain on a year?s loan for ?175 million.

He parted ways formally with Hearts early last Sunday to begin a new career with the Tunisian side which eliminated Hearts from the 1991 Cup Winners Cup competition under bizarre circumstances.

?We regret to lose him but we have able hands to replace him,? Hearts Chief Executive, Thomas Okine, told the Graphic in Dakar.?We will miss him, but it must happen; we can?t guarantee a life-time relationship with a player.?

Adjei joined Africain from Dakar, Senegal, where he helped Hearts to reach the league stage of the Confederation Cup last Saturday.

?It is sad to leave a team you have worked with for a long time,? he told the Graphic of his sealed deal with Africain, but remained hopeful of securing a more lasting deal with the club.

?It is sad to leave a family of players with whom you share close ties. But such is life, and life must continue.

?But I relish the challenge and I look forward to it. ?I will forever remember the fans who stood behind me during both good and difficult times. My days with Ghana are not ended since I still belong to the Black Stars and they will always see me.

?I thank the entire Ghanaian football fraternity for everyone?s role in shaping my career. I will not disappoint them.?The deal strips Hearts of their safest pair of hands over the last half decade, but offers reprieve to Sammy Adjei?s deputies.

Eben Dida and James Nanor will now fight for the number one shirt that has eluded them for long.

The effect of his expected departure may have forced Coach Ernst Middendorp to recall Dida to be reserve in the game against Douanes last Saturday, from suspension.

Sammy Adjei was in post when Hearts beat Esperance 5-2 or aggregate in the 2000 Champions League final, and although injury and temporary loss of form have benefitted Nanor and Dida at separate times, the Black Stars goalkeeper remains every coach?s choice.

?I am happy to have ended on such a high note, playing my part that enabled Hearts to qualify for the Confederation Cup?, he said.

Sammy Adjei Leave Hearts?

26-7-2004: According to a Tunisian newspaper, hearts goalkeeper Sammy Adjei has joined the Tunisian club side, Club Africain. The international keeper is expected in tunisia in few days time.

The club website and radio france international hav both confirmed this information

Sammy Adjei attendu ? Tunis. Le gardien des Hearts of Oak et des Black Stars du Ghana pourrait rev?tir le maillot du Club Africain. Reste ? s?entendre sur le montant du transfert et le salaire.