Hearts of Oak, winners of the CAF Champions League trophy in 2000 and the CAF Confederation Cup in 2004, have nurtured some top football administrators and enthusiasts in the West African nation.
Some of these individuals have gone ahead to establish their own clubs to compete against the Rainbow club in the Ghanaian space.
Ghana Sports Online takes a look at the top 8 of such personalities who are currently involved with different clubs at different tiers.
- Linford Asamoah Boadu – Kotoku Royals
Chairman of the Eastern Region RFA and bankroller of Kotoku Royals FC. Asamoah used to be a passionate Hearts of Oak fan and travelled miles from the Eastern region to Accra to watch his darling club to play games at the Accra Sports Stadium. A source reveals he even pushed for admission to Labone Senior High School during his secondary school days so he could be close to his boyhood club. His club Kotoku Royals played twice against the 21-time Ghanaian champions and lost both games.
- Abdul Salam Yakubu – New Edubiase United
Everyone knows Abdul Salam Yakubu’s closeness to the Rainbow club. The New Edubiase United founder and bankroller used to be a supporter of the club and bought top players for the club on different occasions. Edubiase was one which caused problems for Hearts of Oak during their spell in the Ghana Premier League, beating Hearts of Oak 4 times in their 14 meetings with the last coming in 2015 when they defeated the Phobians twice within the calendar year in the league. However, Salam has been producing some top players for the club with the recent player being Salim Adams.
The mining magnate and business tycoon recently joined Nana Agyeman Badu I to become the second Hearts of Oak product to win the Ghana Premier League after winning the 2022/23 Ghanaian top-flight league. Moses Armah was a one-time financier of the Accra-based giants and used to finance their transfer business until he finally decided to acquire his own club Medeama in 2011. He watched his side destroy Hearts of Oak 5-1 at the Accra Sports Stadium on their way to winning their maiden league title.
- Nana Agyeman Badu I – Aduana Stars
Two-time Ghana Premier League title-winner with Aduana Stars – Nana Agyeman Badu I used to be lead one of the chapters of Hearts of Oak in Accra during his school days as a University of Ghana student. The paramount chief of Dormaa Ahenkro served the Oak family for several years before switching to Aduana Stars where he won them the league title in 2010 and 2017. It is important to note that Hearts of Oak have always struggled to beat Aduana Stars in the league.
- Randy Abbey – Heart of Lions
A former spokesperson for Hearts of Oak and the Ghana Football Association – Ransford Abbey has perfectly transitioned to owning a club that has secured promotion to the Ghana Premier League. He is now the 100 percent owner of Kpando-based Heart of Lions who have qualified to compete in the elite league next season. Unlike Nana Agyeman Badu I, Abdul Salam Yakubu, and Linford Asamoah Boadu who were fans of the club, Abbey was deeply involved in the club’s affairs during the early parts of the millennium. He currently serves on the board of the Ghana Football Association.
- Isaac Tetteh – Uncle T United
None of the men mentioned above can claim to have invested more sources into Hearts of Oak than Isaac Tetteh, popularly known as TT Brothers. Now the owner of Uncle T United, a Prampram-based Division One League side, once guaranteed a loan facility from a South African firm to the club. According to sources, the funds was so big that the club has failed to pay back and it affected the businesses run by the gentleman.
- Stephen Offei – Volta Rangers
The one-time powerful defender joined Hearts of Oak in 2001 from Bofoakwa Tano and spent several seasons playing for the club. After retiring from the sport, Offei has now acquired shares in Division One League side Volta Rangers and his former coach Amissah has been appointed as the new head coach.
- Kurt Okraku – Dreams FC
President of the Ghana Football Association and one-time PRO for the Phobians. Kurt used to be a worker for Hearts of Oak and has now become the leader of Ghanaian football. He is publicly known to be a Hearts of Oak fan.
