Long certificate don't win matches - Tamakloe Tells Hearts Critics

Board member of Accra Hearts of Oak, Dr. Nyaho Nyaho Tamakloe has told critics of the club 'long certificates don't win matches.'

Accra Hearts of Oak sealed a deal to sign Japanese-born American coach Kenichi Yatsuhashi as a permanent successor to Herbert Addo and management of the club has come under flak for appointing an inexperienced coach.

Kenichi Yatsuhashi has never managed at the top level but Hearts of Oak deem him as the messiah for the upcoming First Capital Plus Bank Premier League season.

Robert Sackey a U.S based coach who scouted for Ghana during the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, describes the decision as 'one step forward, two steps backwards'.

While former Asante Kotoko coach Isaac Opeele Boateng says it is an insult to assistant coach Yaw Preko.

"Yaw Preko need someone that will father him like Sellas Tetteh did for him (at the national U-20 team). He does not need a coach like this who is even better than.

"So if the Japanese coach (Kenichi Yatsuhashi) fails, Yaw Preko has failed and if management decides to sack both of them, then it means that is failure for Yaw.

"And don't forget even this is his first time at the premier level. So to me (the decision to appoint Kenichi) is really bad, is insulting and disrespectful.

"Trust me, I am a coach, if Yaw (Preko) gets to the training pitch and he sees his coaching methods and philosophy and he sees that they are not up to standard, he will begin to undermine him."

But Board member Nyaho Tamakloe says the decision to appoint Kenichi is the best for the club and told critics big CV's do not necessarily give good results.

"I have handled Hearts of Oak years back and we had five of the best coaches when I was the chairman of the club; I mean highly respected coaches but they all let us down," Tamakloe told Joy FM.

"I went for coach Kobina who was a policeman and he was the man who really put the boys on the map internationally, so I don't believe in long certificate."

He added: "This long certificate don't win matches, this long certificate don't give you results. Players and coaches in the U.S believe in the spirit of the game and is the spirit that really counts. If the person has the spirit, then you believe that you are on the right path.

That is what we were looking for and I think we got that."

Nyaho Tamakloe however warned Kenichi not to let Ghanaian football pundits predictions come to pass if he wants to keep his job.

"Our ultimate aim is to win the league this coming season and that's exactly what we've told him. Anything short of that, then he knows he will have a problem with management and the board."

Hearts of Oak sacked Herbert Addo last season and replaced him with Edward Ansah on interim basis before bringing on Turkish trainer Vanli Can to help steer the affairs of the club, but they've been overlooked for a permanent deal.