Heart of Lions coach, Bashir Hayford, has delivered a firm message to Kotoko and Hearts of Oak, urging them to prioritize the acquisition of their own stadium facilities if they aspire to regain dominance in the domestic league.
The two Ghanaian football giants presently utilize the Baba Yara and Accra Sports Stadia as their home bases. Hayford, renowned for his candid nature, contends that relying on state-owned facilities places Kotoko and Hearts at a disadvantage.
He asserts that these venues, such as the Baba Yara Stadium and Accra Sports Stadium, effectively function as neutral grounds for other clubs. According to the former Kotoko boss, the inconsistency in training opportunities at state-owned facilities, coupled with security and other conditions, levels the playing field for opponents.
In contrast, clubs with private stadiums often exert intimidation tactics on opposing teams and referees, thereby compromising the fairness of the game.
“As Ghanaians, we must learn to tell the truth; it will be very difficult for teams who do not have their own stadium facility to win the league,” he emphasized to Akoma FM.
“Kotoko and Hearts of Oak don’t play at their own venues, but the likes of Samatex, Nsoatreman, and Bechem all play at their own stadium facility,” he added, underscoring the discrepancy between the two sets of clubs.
Hayford pointedly highlighted the challenges encountered by visiting teams at privately-owned facilities, where intimidation and referee bias are prevalent.
“When you travel to these privately owned facilities, you really go through a lot of intimidation and the referees can’t be independent. Your chances of winning at such private venues are very slim, unlike the state-owned venues like Accra and Kumasi where security is assured and level playing grounds exist for all competing teams. Hearts and Kotoko must get their own stadium; otherwise, winning the league will become difficult,” he concluded.
