Preview: Hearts must rise to the occasion

Yes indeed, the stage is set for the double-header finals of the African Champions League and the combatants are Accra Hearts of Oak and Esperance of Tunisia.

With the first leg slated for December 3, in Tunis and the return encounter coming up in Accra fifteen days later, it is incumbent upon Hearts (the Phobians) to fight tooth and nail to enrich their history with the ultimate prize in African Clubs Competitions.

And to attain this objective the Phobians have to rediscover the form which carried them through the first round of the ABC Premier League undefeated and secured them the maximum 12 points in their first four matches of the champions league.

Some of us believe the performance of Hearts has plummeted and there is an urgent need for a reappraisal of their general output in recent times and the adoption of remedial plans to transform the team into a devastating form before the final onslaught.

When I spoke to Jones Attuquayefio, head coach of the club, after their unimpressive draw with Jeane 'Arc in Accra on Sunday, he said there was nothing wrong with the team. Jones attributed the draw to the fact that Hearts had already qualified for the grand finale and needed to play cautiously in order to reduce their chances of sustaining injuries and picking cards, which might jeopardise their chances in Tunisia.

Though I respect Jones very much and hold him in very high esteem in the Ghanaian coaching fraternity, I am a bit baffled by his analyses. It is crystal clear to every interested observer that the Phobian machinery has slowed down considerably.

It is clear that the potency of the team has dwindled sharply and that missed chances far outnumber those utilised these days. It is crystal clear that there is a crack in the solid rock defence, which was the hallmark of the Phobian rear.

And it is crystal clear that the fluid midfield, which has been the architect and initiator of many goals, is dehydrated and must be oiled. Having come this close, it is imperative that the Phobians accept the truth in all humility and perform the surgery that is necessary to give us the cup.

It is only when Jones and his assistants realise that there is something wrong with the team that they will be able to salvage it from the decline that is evident to some of us. I am happy that Jacob Nettey, the skipper of the side assured all Ghanaians that he and his colleagues are determined to register double victory over their Tunisian opponents.

"We are not going to draw there, it is going to be double assault on Esperance, when we beat them in Tunis, we shall repeat the dose in Accra and present the cup to Ghanaians".

Hearts have the arsenal to shoot down Esperance even if they would not have the full complement of their squad in the first leg due card sanctions. Coach Jones Attuquqayefio must meet the expectations of the huge army of Hearts supporters by winning the African Champions League Cup for the first time in their 89 years history. It is a task that must be done!