Attuquayefio mourns Hearts depletion

Accra, Feb 13, GNA - Sir Cecil Jones Attuquayefio, coach of Accra Hearts of Oak is already mourning his team's depletion ahead of their crucial Super Cup duel billed against Enyimba of Nigeria on Sunday, February 20.

The coach views the Aba game as a tall order for the Phobians claiming they are ill prepared to approach the CAF Champions league winners, Enyimba, the only African club to have successfully defended the Champions League.

Irrespective of his side's lone goal victory over Kpando Heart of Lions at the Ohene Djan Sports Stadium on Sunday that kept them in contention in the Coca Cola Top Four Tourney, coach Attuquayefio underscored the need to face reality instead of miracles.

"I think we should simply face reality and forget about luck and miracles, the team is hugely depleted and that is obvious".

The Confederation Cup winning coach told the GNA Sports that, "if I had a single wish, It will be for the postponement of Sunday's game. Believe you me, the players who featured today are all I have to face Enyimba and that is not good enough".

The Phobians would be without more than half of the players who raised the pride of their followers in the grand finale of the Confederation Cup that saw them defeat Kumasi Asante Kotoko in their historic all-Ghanaian finals.

The tactician who was returning to the team's bench for the second time in the competition, tipped his opponents ahead of Hearts, saying "it would be foolish for anyone to underrate Enyimba with all their rich experience".

Indications are that Hearts might not be able to raise a strong team when they leave the shores of the country on Friday ahead of the clash.

Struggling Daniel Coleman and skipper Amankwah Mireku would be the only additions to the team that played against Lions for the Enyimba match, though coach Attuquayefio said the players are not psychologically prepared for Sunday's encounter.

Whilst the team has lost their dependable defender Dan Quaye and Michael Donkor to injuries, their attacking machinery is the biggest hit as Emmanuel Osei Kuffour, Louis Agyeman, Bernard Don Bortey and Prince Tagoe have joined the exodus train.

The team has relied on its newly signed on players in all five games played in the on-going tournament and Sunday is not expected to be any different.

The Super Cup is reserved for Africa's finest in the Confederation Cup and Champions League competitions. 13 Feb. 05