Hearts coach looking beyond game against Asec

Accra, Sept. 14, GNA -- Mitko Kostadinov Dobrev, head coach of Accra Hearts of Oak seems to have forgotten about the dreams of the Club in the MTN/Confederation of Africa Football (CAF) Champions League after the club went through five matches without a single win or record a goal. The coach believes the One Touch Premier League is the team's priority at the moment and every effort must be geared towards a successful campaign in the elite League.

Coach Dobrev, a Bulgarian national who took over the team three weeks ago, after the woeful performance against the Ivorians in the first round, said the game against Asec Mimosas on Saturday, is an academic exercise since they are already out of contention. Speaking to the GNA Sports, he said, his focus now is to prepare the team for the next league game against Heart of Lions at Kpando on Wednesday, September 20.


According to the coach, he is confident of grabbing the three maximum points at stake to enhance the position of the team in the league.


"I watched Lions play against Liberty Professionals last time and know how to handle them when we meet.


"My boys are coming up gradually and I hope by the time we meet them, we will live up to expectation and bring home the maximum points", Coach Dobrev said.


The coach said he saw the league table of 2005 and realized that Hearts placed second on the league table and this presents him another task, hence he will work hard to steer the team to the first position by the close of the season.

Dobrev said, 'Hearts is a big team and deserves to be the best and I have to work hard to help them reclaim their glory by winning the league.=94


He also indicated that the Club would put up a better performance in the next continental competition since they will by then be better prepared to face any challenges.


Asked if he has found any solution to the goal draught that has resulted in the present woes of the Club, Coach Dobrev said, 93poor finishing is not peculiar only to Hearts, it's an African problem with the pitches bad and the players not positioning themselves well to take advantage of scoring goals=94.


"It's a major challenge and this we are working hard to correct and I believe with time things will get better for us."


The coach indicated that he is also revising strategies to enable the team find its scoring boots, adding that the recent changes in roles for some of the players are some of the steps being taken to rectify the situation.

Coach Dobrev who once served in the Bulgarian Ministry of Interior as a Crime Officer, also emphasized of seeing to a disciplined side that is well motivated to deliver at all times. =93There is no compromise, indiscipline players will have to find their way out because there is no way we are going to succeed if the players are not disciplined=94.


Coach Dobrev also reiterated his desire to cut down on the number of the playing body saying it's too big for Hearts to maintain. He said big clubs like Arsenal, Manchester and Real Madrid among others have a maximum of 28 players and wondered why Hearts should maintain 33 players =93I will not sack anybody but their performance will send them away at the appropriate time.


Coach Dobrev was optimistic that things will shape up in three months time for the Club but added that 93I'm a coach and not a magician.