Managers of Accra Hearts of Oak say the team will not participate in a pre-season eight-club invitational competition organized by the Ghana league Clubs Association, (GHALCA). GHALCA has revised their pre-season TOP 4 tournament to accommodate four more clubs for an 8-club tournament with the presence of rivals Hearts of Oak and Asante Kotoko expected to generate huge interest. But speaking to JOY Sports’ Daniel Oduro, spokesperson for Hearts, Albert Commey said, “We are unaware that we are going to play in the Top 8, it is a fact. The issue here is Hearts of Oak has its own plans and when it comes to issues of pre-season, we have different stages of it.” He added that, “If we had gotten to the playing time, where we will play friendly matches, then one would say we can use that as an exercise, but you cannot determine our stage for us while we know very well that when we do that it’s going to affect us in the league season.” The Phobians' withdrawal is likely to affect interest and patronage of the games.