Hearts of Oak head coach Mas-Ud Didi Dramani has voiced dissatisfaction with the scheduling of the 2025 GHALCA Top 4 tournament, insisting the timing is unfair to players still in early preseason conditioning.
The competition kicks off on Wednesday, August 20, with the Phobians set to face Heart of Lions at 6 p.m. — just three days after defeating the same opponents 2-0 in the 2025 Homowo Cup.
Dramani, who replaced Aboubakar Ouattara at the end of last season on a two-year deal, believes players are not yet physically ready to handle full 90-minute matches. He has called for flexibility in the substitution rules to reduce the strain on squads.
“I think that it is a very good program for the football industry, but the timing of it is worrisome,” Dramani said.
“We need to try to alter the substitutions so that, in this [Heart of Lions] game for instance, if you have just worked for two weeks, you don't go in for a high-profile game. If you can do multiple substitutions, then it's easy for you to bring in more legs so that you don't stress. I estimated 60 minutes for some players, but I ended up pushing them to 90 minutes. For me, deloading is so, so important when you really want to keep players fit.”
Hearts of Oak only secured a Top 4 place after Nations FC were deducted points last season, and Dramani is eager to use the tournament as a test ground — though he insists player fitness must not be compromised.
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