Hearts staff handed cash boost

Hearts of Oak have rewarded their players and coaches by handing them a share of FIFA’s compensation for the cancelled World Club Championships.

Reigning African champions Hearts received £500,000 from FIFA as compensation for lost revenue after the prestigious tournament was cancelled in the wake of the crisis prompted by the demise of ISL, FIFA’s marketing consultant. Hearts players and technical crew will share £70,000 of the sum in what board of directors spokesman Ashford Tetteh Oku believes is an incentive to motivate the squad.

He said: "We are happy with the performances of the boys so far and hope the money will motivate them further into retaining the league title and enable us to launch ourselves back on the continental trail next season."

After a poor start to the season which saw them losing their African crown in the first round to Etoile du Congo and trailing behind rival Ashanti Kotoko in the Star Premier League for a long period, Hearts finally took over the domestic driving seat with 39 points in 15 games, one point clear of Kotoko.