Hearts place embargo on players till May

Accra, March 29, GNA - The Interim Management Committee of Accra Hearts Sporting Club has stated that they would not release any of their players for future national assignments till the end of May this year. This follows the inclusion of two of their key players, Dan Quaye and Sammy Adjei into the ten-man squad of local players who left Accra for France last night to play an International friendly match against French division one side, Metz.

In a statement signed by Mr Tommy Okine, Chairman of the Interim Management Committee (IMC) of the club copied to the GNA Sports, it stated that the club is unhappy with the conduct of the Ghana Football Association (GFA) because the issue was not discussed with them.

The statement added that, "much as the Black Stars want to make it to the World Cup in 2006, the club also has as its corporate objective to qualify for the league stage of the CAF Champions League". The statement said with the first leg of their match against AS Aviacao of Angola in the preliminary of the CAF Champions League at hand, the technical team need the full compliment of their players for effective physical, mental and psychological conditioning before that important assignment.

According to the statement, keeper Adjei is sick and needs full treatment and monitoring but which the FA ignored. The statement said the club had no option than to protest against the action of the GFA and Marriano Barreto, coach of the Black Stars whom they believe could have exploited the rapport between him and Ernst Middendorp, coach of Hearts to tackle the issue.