GHALCA Blasts 'Irrelevant' Hearts & Kotoko

The Ghana League Clubs Association has called the bluff of giants Hearts and Kotoko after the duo withdrew from a pre-season tournament, saying they are irrelevant to Ghana football now. The two biggest clubs in the country have cited several reasons behind their disinterests in playing in the eight-team tournament ahead the start of the new campaign. AshantiGold, Aduana Stars, FA Cup winners Nania FC, Berekum Chelsea and Liberty Professionals were scheduled to play in the competition set to start on 4 September. Their withdrawals are expected affect spectatoring for the off-season showdown. It has also undermined the integrity of Interim Management Committee of the association. �We must admit these two clubs are no more relevant to Ghana football and I believe even without them the tournament will be of more success,� Interim GHALCA Secretary Oduro Nyarko told Kumasi-based Angel FM. �They have continuously been rejecting invitations to tournaments and that is a very bad precedent they are setting for the smaller teams to follow. �But I promise Ghanaians the rest of the teams will continue to dominate in the local scene because Kotoko and Hearts are past their prime and can�t offer any important contribution.� Asante Kotoko came under attack after they rejected an invitation to play in this years� Sports Writers Association Cup. GHALCA, led by veteran football administrator Alhaji Raji, clashed with Kotoko last month after they fined and handed a one-year ban to the club for boycotting the medal presentation of a Cup match.