Coach Fabin Wraps Another Top 4 Title
Paa Kwesi Fabin made history when he became the first coach to win two Top 4 titles after guiding Hearts of Oak to success in the 2010 edition, while Aduana Stars slumped from the height of near invincibility to mere pedestrians in the annual pre-season ritual.
The triumph gave Hearts a record third title in the competition, while Coach Fabin earned the added profile of being the first to win the competition with different clubs, as well as achieving it back-to-back as he established himself as at least the technical expert of Top 4 competition.
Last year, he was in charge of Heart of Lions when they easily beat both Hearts and Asante kotoko to the title, only for him to be lured away by the prospects of greater achievements in local football when he joined Kotoko for the league season.
The club's difficult league campaign, however, forced him onto the sidelines before the season ended, but his cross-over to Hearts has paid quick dividends in the Top 4 story, with the team's revived spirits and general impressive play combining to restore confidence in the burly coach who was the target of fans' rage when they opened their campaign with a 2-2 draw against Lions in Accra.
On Sunday, he even had the luxury of attending to official duties outside Accra, after three successive victories secured Hearts the trophy before last Sunday's final matches, and still his team survived the contest from a motivated Ashantigold side to crown their campaign with a 1-0 victory.
While he savours the special honours that have accompanied his newest success as a football coach, Coach Fabin does so in the company of newest local sensation, Osei Pele, who tied Lions' Gilbert Fiamenyo as the Top 4's top scorers on five goals apiece.
Until the sale of Kessben FC, Pele only bore the revered name on the bench of the Abrankese-based side, having been confined to playing second fiddle for most part of his young career with the now-defunct club.
Change of ownership occurred on two fronts in the life of Pele — Kessben sold to Medeama, and himself sold to Hearts. These two events instantly transformed his life from the periphery of local football to mainstream icon as he scored in four of five matches he featured in.
Although Pele enjoyed the biggest share of the spoils with the Phobians, largely due to their trophy-winning exploits, Fiamenyo emerged as an unlikely revelation in the shirt of Lions after failing to impress in Hearts colours in the same competition last year.
The two strikers have suddenly emerged from obscurity into the limelight, and now command full attention as the stars to watch when the new season commences on September 5.
On the opposite end, Aduana Stars produced a disappointing show that suddenly stripped them of even their home terror and eventually led to the crumbling of their invincibility at the fortress of the Nana Agyemang Badu Park at Dormaa-Ahenkro.
At that venue, the only drew twice throughout last season as they achieved the historic feat of winning the league title on their debut season, but whatever horror the venue struck in the minds of opponents was brought to naught when Lions came from behind to win 2-1 at the venue.
On the sidelines of the major events of the 2010 Top 4 comeptition was the revival of the career of goalkeeper Sammy Adjei. Already a legend with Hearts, goalkeeper Adjei's distinct goalkeeping qualities played a major role in the success of the club.
Indeed, in the five matches he kept the post, he capped an overall superlative display with clean sheets in all games, and perhaps made serious efforts towards his return to international duty for his country.