Former Hearts of Oak Welfare and Team Manager, W.O. Tandoh, has been accused of pulling a gun at the team’s hotel a day before their FA Cup final against Bechem United.
The Phobian Club, after a torrid season in the just ended 2021/22 Ghana Premier League, defended their FA Cup title defeating the Hunters 2-1 at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium a week ago.
A day before the game, Tandoh, who is a former Aduana Stars coach has been accused of pulling a gun over a disagreement.
Kwame Opare Addo, who is the Head of Communications of the club, speaking on the Ultimate Sports Show on Asempa FM confirmed that he was a witness to the unfortunate incident.
“I was a witness to the incident and it occurred at 6:30 PM,” he said. “I heard people calling for my name and when I stepped out, I was told W.O. Tandoh and our assistant kit manager were engaged in a fight.
“We have a norm that when we have a game, nobody touches the jerseys but the assistant kits officer tried to open jerseys and when W.O. Tandoh asked why he [the kits manager] tried opening the jerseys, the kits manager insulted W.O. Tandoh and he also punched the kits manager and it led to a fight among them at the hotel.
“The team manager then threatened to shoot the assistant kits manager. We managed to separate them at the hotel but we were forced to report the incident to the nearby Police Station in Kumasi,” he added.
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Dr Nyaho-Nyaho Tamakloe, who is a Board Member of the club, also confirmed the incident to Asempa FM.
“I have worked with Hearts of Oak for over 50 years and when I see indiscipline, I can smell it and I know what I am talking about.
“I have repeatedly talked to the coach that he is the overall boss of the team but players keep misbehaving at the camp. Players drink and smoke before matchdays and this is the reason for our failure.
“What happened in Kumasi was true and Sulley Muntari confirmed it to me. The team manager pulled the gun,” he added.
Meanwhile, W.O. Tandoh has resigned from the club as the Team Manager.
In a statement released on Friday, he accused two Board Members, Vincent Sowah Odotei and Alhaji Brimah Akanbi of being autocratic and vindictive.
- Is Samuel Boadu safe at Hearts of Oak?
Having led the side to win a domestic treble last season, Samuel Boadu finished the season at the 6th on the league log with 48 points but defended the FA Cup.
However, Boadu’s ability and prowess in leading the team to Africa for the CAF Confederations Cup has been questioned by Dr Tamakloe.
According to the former Ghana Football Association chairman, the former Medeama SC boss is not the right man to lead the club in Africa.
“I have a problem with Hearts of Oak’s technical direction of the club, most of the players appear to be indisciplined in the team and are either aged or lazy,” Dr Tamakloe told Accra-based Angel FM.
“I strongly have my doubt that the technical team can do well in Africa. Hearts of Oak is a big club and must always be in the hand of a big coach like Attiquayefio.
“I believe the current technical team can’t carry us far,” he added.
Speaking to Joy Sports in a separate interview, he also insisted Boadu winning five trophies in his year and a half stay at the club is nothing.
“If you have a team and you’re camping and boys break camp, that should be a big concern to a coach,” he said.
“People keep on saying he’s won five trophies but once you look at the future of the club, that’s my concern. Football is a very tricky game. Maybe we’ve been able to win five trophies by chance because the way Hearts of Oak plays its football is not the way I see it.
“We have our own brand as a club and to me, it’s a disgrace that we dropped from the top position straight to sixth. If you have a child who drops from the first position in class to sixth all of a sudden, you find out why.
“I have noticed that he has no control over the boys, I advised him that he should know that he is in charge of the whole team, any blame that will come or misunderstanding in camp or wherever they are he will be held responsible.
“But it appears he doesn’t have that control over them. You talk to him, he tries to justify some things and it’s affecting the team.”