Hearts Coach Browses Plan Book for Lobi Match

Accra Mail (Accra) October 9, 2000 M.B. Brimah

Coach Jones Atttuquayefio of Accra Hearts of Oak is about to find out whether his Hearts of Oak players are made of gold or lead. As he browses through his plan-book to fashion out a strategy for the 2nd round of the CAF Champions League, Attuquayfio will at the same time be ruminating whether he is likely to become the nation's hero or, just another fall coach of the Phobians.

Already many of the sporting press are amassing critical knives - newly honed, freshly minted metaphors poised for action. No wonder Jones seems edgy when he thinks over his squad for the impending match against Lobi Stars, at the Accra Sports Stadium on Sunday.

Certainly incoming reports about the transformation of Lobi Stars give cause for concern. Yugoslav head coach Kosta Kovic has switched from playing 3 at the back with five in midfield which never produce attacking fluency to a 4-2-4 formation, with Kingsley Elvis Dick operating as one of the middle two. The two support both attack and defence. In essence, Lobi Stars now play a sort of six attackers and six defenders game.

And Muhammed Muhammed, Jeremiah Kuhwa, Robert Akahruye, Dooyum Imadu, Allen Njojo, Sylvanus Egeku, Onaive Shafe and Taiwo Abulatan, all hard-working and selfless, have all the qualities for that demanding game.

That speedster Terfa Apurughu and goal-getters Dooyum Imadu and Muhammed Muhammed should be policed is imperative.

Kosta Kovic the head coach has explained that the system was designed to fit the capabilities of his players. He is also confident his boys would put up better performance than in the first round. And the impending match being the test case, Coach Jones Attuquayefio will really have to browse through his plan book to get the answer to the riddles to be set by Lobi Stars. How many goals Lobi Stars goalkeepers, Greg Etafia or Emmanuel Derek Abah will collect from their net, will depend on how well Coach Attuquayefio reads and effects an effective strategy from his plan book. Four points from their remaining three matches would be enough to see Hearts of Oak home and dry for the final berth.

Group A

Date H/Team A/Team Results

July 21/23 Esperance v Sable de Batie 4-0

July 21/23 Sundowns v Africa Sports 2-0

Aug 4/6 Sable de Batie v Sundowns 1-

" Africa Sports v Esperance 2-2

Aug 18/20 Esperance v Sundowns 3-2

" Sable de Batie v Africa Sports 1-1

Oct 13/15 Sundowns v Esperance

" Africa Sports v Sable de Batie

Oct 27/29 Sable de Batie v Esperance

" Africa Sports v Sundowns

Nov 10/12 Sundowns v Sable de Batie

" Esperance v Africa Sports

Group B

July 21/23 Lobi Stars v Jeanne d'Arc 3-1

" Hearts v El Ahly 2-1

Aug 4/6 Jeanne d'Arc v Hearts 2-4

" El Ahly v Lobi Stars 3-1

Aug 18/20 Lobi Stars v Hearts 0-2

" Jeanne d'Arc v El Ahly 1-1

Oct 13/15 Hearts v Lobi Stars

" El Ahly v Jeanne d'Arc

Oct 27/29 Hearts v Jeanne d'Arc

" Lobi Stars v El Ahly

Nov 10/12 El Ahly v Hearts