Accra Hearts of Oak chief executive Tommy Okine has distanced himself from a statement in his name questioning the rationale behind the postponement of the outstanding league match between Asante kotoko and Goldfields to June 4.

A statement from the Hearts chief executive says his deputy Clement Dodoo and administrative manager have all denied issuing the statement. Tommy Okine says in as much as Hearts would complain against unfairness and any other action that militates against their interest, they find the latest complaint out of place.

He has therefore apologized to professional league board for any inconvenience the statement might have caused them. A statement on a Hearts letter head and signed for the chief executive faxed to Joy Sports yesterday and copied to the chairman of the professional league board and the general secretary of the Ghana football association demanded that Kotoko’s outstanding league match against Obuasi Goldfields be played today on the grounds of claims that Kotoko had arrived on Tuesday.

The claims were rejected by the professional league board and Asante Kotoko who pointed out that the phobians had no business dabbling in the matter.

Meanwhile the Phobians who returned to Accra on Wednesday from Luanda where they lost 0-3 in the first leg on the African champions league insist they can still qualify for the lucrative league stages of the competition.

A statement issued by the club said the Phobians would draw inspiration from previous good displays against Hafia club of Guinea and Mufulari Warriors of Wanderers to scale what they admit is a difficult task. The club’s chief executive Tommy Okine says both players and officials are prepared to sacrifice every ounce of blood and sweat to eliminate the Angolans.

That game would be played at Accra Stadium on June 1. Hearts must score four unanswered goals to make the league stages after two failed attempts since winning the trophy in 2000.