GPL: Medeama’s glory, Hearts of Oak’s relief as season ends

After the final match of the Ghana Premier League season, there were jubilations at Tarkwa where Medeama received their crowning grace for usurping Aduana Stars at the top of the table in the latter weeks of the season. However, at the other end of the GPL table, there were heartbreaks as Tamale City narrowly missed out on safety after squandering their chances when they lost to Kotoku Royals in the penultimate match.

But the drama was not just at the top or the very bottom section of the table. Some teams at the middle of the table were also on a last-day battle for survival and that included former Champions of Africa, Accra Hearts of Oak. And if you thought they were just happy escaping relegation by a whisker, you missed it, they were relieved the season ended.

The former African champions after glittering with success in the previous two seasons under Samuel Boadu hit the snag this season and nearly paid for it the hard way. Following a faltering start to the new season, the Phobians parted ways with Samuel Boadu who brought silverware back to the club after so many years of emptiness. But it seems he had raised the bar so high that the club and its supporters were impatient with the turn of things so he was shown the exit door in September.

In came Serbian trainer Slavko Matic in October to lead the club but after a good start to his reign, things turns sour. The coach was chased out of the club by supporters out of the club after they blocked him from gaining access to the club’s training facilities at Pobiman. That ended his stay at the capital club and ushered in David Ocloo as the interim coach.

However, things did not go well with the team under Ocloo’s reign as the team took in defeat upon defeat despite the flashes of goodness. Heading into the final few weeks of the season, the club went on a losing streak that nearly plunged them into the darkness of Ghana football. After beating King Faisal in week 29, the team consistently suffered successive defeats to Samartex, Medeama, Legon Cities and Real Tamale United. During that time they conceded at least two goals in each of those matches including a 5-1 mauling at home by eventual champions Medeam SC.

So despite the Continental Masters ending the season with no major trophy at hand, their survival is worth the biggest celebration. Aside from that, they could now heave a sigh of relief that the season has ended and the embarrassing incidents of the 2022/23 season are now over.

But what is next?