Angry Zakkour denies sabotaging Hearts

Ex-Hearts chairman Harry Zakkour has rubbished fresh claims he’s behind the downward spiral of the club in the Ghanaian top-tier.

The two-time African champions have been thrown into disarray following their 3-0 defeat at home to All-Stars in the First Capital Plus Premier League on Wednesday.

Under-fire coach Mohammed Polo opened the floodgate with claims of conspiracy theory against him after seeing his side lose back-to-back against the Wa-based side.

The iconic Hearts figure wasted no time in accusing his detractors and some of his players for masterminding their unflattering campaign in the top-tier since he took over from dismissed David Duncan.

The old Board led by ex-chairman Harry Zakkour has been accused of masterminding the downward spiral of the club by paying losing bonuses, in a supposed move to frustrate their effort of challenging for titles this season. But Zakkour, who presided over Hearts’ most glorious days in the late 90’s and the early 2000’s, is not letting down the allegations of sabotage lie down lightly.

“I have not been involved with the club for a very long, long time and so I don’t know where these reports of sabotage are coming from,” Zakkour told Kumasi-based Angel FM.

“People have accused me and Alhaji Hearts of paying losing bonuses. I don’t get it. These are malicious allegations against us and I’m not taken kindly to it at all. “I don’t even want to get close to the club for people to start pointing accusing fingers at me if things start going wrong.

“Hearts made me who I am today and so I will not sit down for the club to collapse. After yesterday’s game, I received a lot of calls from people who enquired about what we were doing to help because the image of the club is sinking.

“It’s a huge embarrassment that a big club like Hearts of Oak is totally collapsed. Why should I pay losing bonus? I have never been close to the club and never been to their meetings. “Since they floated the shares, I have never even been to their training ground. The last time I went to the stadium was when we played Kotoko.

“Even with that I left before the match ended because they were playing disheartening game and so I don’t want to be drawn into anything negative.” Current board chairman Togbe Afede XIV has been accused of running a one-man show since he bought majority shares during its sale.

Coach David Duncan was sacked under controversial circumstances after he was reported to have clashed with the Chief of the Asogli State.

Irate fans failed in their attempts to have the decision rescinded with controversial board member Dr Nyaho Tamakloe backing the dismissal of the ex-Ashantigold trainer.

Dr Tamakloe needed security escort to leave the Accra sports stadium unhurt after angry fans charged on him after their crashing defeat.

It’s obvious the Ghanaian powerhouse are in crisis and need solution and fast as their title ambitions gradually slips through their hands.

Hearts have dropped to fourth on the table, seven points behind arch-rivals Kotoko, who have a game in hand.