Former Accra Hearts of Oak coach, Mohammed Polo, has vowed never to return to the club, which cut his teeth in football, again following the treatment meted out to him as the head coach.
The dribbling magician, as he is affectionately called, blamed Hearts’ abusive supporters and the then former Managing Director, Neil Armstrong-Mortagbe; who schemed for his removal, as the basis for rejecting his mother club.
“I was insulted, attacked spiritually, physically, psychologically, mentally by a so-called supporters group of Hearts Chapter O, and the then MD, Neil Armstrong Mortagbe,” the man who played for Hearts for over two decades between 1972 and 1993 lamented in a telephone interview with the Graphic Sports last week.
Polo also accused senior players of the club of deliberately scheming to lose matches in order to get him fired during his reign as the head coach and, especially, when the going got tougher.
“The senior players ganged up against me and intentionally faked injuries, while some refused to play and those who played orchestrated defeat instead of victory; so I decided to use the Under-20 players,” he noted.
However, the ace dribbler said the incessant attacks by the supporters of the club and threats he received everyday while on the job make it difficult for him would ever to return to the Hearts fold.
He cited an instance when the players were training for match, he observed certain ritual practices on and off the pitch to get at him by some supporters.
He also narrated an incident where the former MD, managed to get his assistant by forcing him out of office.
But the man, who coached Hearts on three different occasions, said he could never say never and as human might one day return to his roots, albeit not now.
On the way forward for the club, Polo advised Hearts to use their young players as a sure way of rebuilding the club.
He was grateful to Togbe Afede XIV for his support during his stay with the club and also appreciated the support he enjoyed from Dr Nyaho Nyaho-Tamakloe and Mr E.M. Commodore-Mensah.
