Head Coach of Accra Hearts of Oak, Slavko Matic has explained the rationale behind the massive changes in the playing staff that featured against Dreams FC at the Accra Sports Stadium on Sunday.
Despite an enormous overhaul of the squad that subdued Accra Lions in the previous match day, the Phobians came back from two goals down to draw 2-2 with Dreams FC.
Apart from skipper Gladson Awako who was suspended for the Dreams FC game, coach Matic introduced seven new players with second-half substitute Enoch Asubonteng getting his first game under the Serbian.
The decision has incurred the wrath of a section of the fans who openly protested after the game.
But at his post-match press conference, coach Matic elucidated that he made the eight changes to his side because he wanted to know the other players in the team.
“This is the best time to conduct this exercise because we would not have time for that after the break.”
Further to this, he revealed that the game against Dreams FC was coming 72 hours after their last game against Accra Lions and some of the players needed rest because they were tired from that game.
“Also, I promised the players that whoever worked hard at training would play and those that showed more hunger to play at training made the team.”
“I needed to do the rotation in order to see the other players and have the right perception about each one of them.”
“Now I have a fair idea of everyone and the World Cup break has come at the right time for me to prepare one good programme for them so by the time the league resumes, they would become better than they are now.”
He dismissed the notion that he effected the changes because he underrated the Dreams FC team, stating that “Hearts of Oak respects all the teams in the league.”
BY RAYMOND ACKUMEY
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