Hearts of Oak legend Bernard Dong Bortey has expressed deep disappointment over the club’s current state, claiming it no longer commands the respect and fear it once inspired across Africa.
Speaking in an interview on Accra-based Original TV, Bortey highlighted the stark contrast between the club’s current struggles and its illustrious past. The Phobians failed to win a trophy last season and are on course to finish the current campaign without silverware, a development that has left fans and former players disillusioned.
“Hearts of Oak has lost its relevance,” Bortey said. “During our time, the club was winning trophies, competing in Africa, and feared across the continent. Now, it’s a different story. There’s no silverware, no dominance—everything has changed.”
Bortey was a key figure in Hearts of Oak’s golden generation, most notably contributing to the club’s historic CAF Champions League triumph in 2000.
He attributed the club’s decline to a lack of consistency, clear vision, and ambition in its current leadership and structure, urging a return to the values and strategies that once made Hearts of Oak a continental powerhouse.
