Matchday two was another piss show in broadcasting for the Ghana Premier League.

Viewers who passed last week’s retinoscopy were tested further by the poor images on television. At some point, the feed went off at 3:22 PM during the Kpando Heart of Lions versus Hearts of Oak match. After 17 minutes, visuals returned for the game.

Perhaps the difference between this weekend’s broadcast and the one before was the return of replays for selected incidents during the match.

If it was not obvious enough, the Ghana Football Association needs to invest in quality production of the matches even if it means going back to StarTimes to handle television production for the league.

Bashir Hayford is still worth the money

If there were doubts concerning Bashir Hayford’s capacity to coach at this level, his body of work in the past year should dispel them. Lions executed a clearly defined game plan with admirable intensity. While that was admirable, it was Bashir Hayford’s smart game management that won them the match.

From the moment Kwesi Pong came on, Lions reverted to a rested defense of three center backs when building up, and gave him creative freedom on the left wing. That allowed Ishmael Addo to stay more central, clogging up the central areas and giving Lions the numeral advantage to play their game. Another benefit of that switch was that it narrowed the gaps between his players, giving them less ground to cover in case they lost the ball.

In the end, it was that simple tweak that won them the match as Pong delivered the brilliant pass that set up Nana Kwame Oppong for the opener.

Chances are that you will not see Lions repeat the trick on the next match day. What is certain, however, is that Hayford has demonstrated a certain tactical flexibility and a capacity to find solutions no matter the tactical needs of the match in question.

Sunday’s win was the eighth clean sheet in nine home matches since February 2024. Eventual league winners Samartex 1996, FA Cup champions Nsoatreman, Asante Kotoko, Gold Stars, Accra Lions, and now Hearts of Oak, have all not survived in that time.

He has given life to a team that looked certain for relegation when he took charge in December last year.

At the time of Hayford’s appointment, Lions were without a win in 14 league matches. They had lost six matches and recorded eight draws. After taking charge, Hayford coached the team out of their bad habits and made them difficult to beat again.

The football was not great. It was nothing close to what Hayford is noted for. But that was not what Lions needed. What they needed was substance and solidity over style.

By the time the season was over, he had won 37 of the 45 points that ensured Premier League survival. He may not have turned water into wine but Jesus Christ would be proud.

Ouattara’s job is secured

There are not many coaches who record more losses than wins over seven months and still enjoy job security. Certainly not at a top club. Hearts of Oak’s Aboubakar Ouattara is the exception to that rule.

On Sunday, his team went out on a whimper in a 2-0 loss to Heart of Lions in Kpando. Hearts have now lost nine matches, won seven, and recorded three draws in nineteen matches.

Hearts went out with a whimper against Lions

Nothing was surprising about Sunday’s loss. If you have seen any of the nineteen matches of Ouattara’s rotten reign, Sunday’s bland performance would not surprise you.

Like many games before, Hearts looked badly coached. It has been the case for so long that the players have accepted it. These days, the team plays as though they are afraid of losing. It is the sort of mentality that creeps into a team after two close shaves with relegation.

Ouattara’s strategy has not helped matters in that regard. In the second half of yesterday’s match, Hearts retreated in fear.

By the time Lions scored, Hearts were defending their penalty box in a badly rehearsed, badly executed manner. In the end, there was no pressure on Kwesi Pong who made the decisive pass. There was none on Kwame Oppong who was unmarked inside the penalty area.

It is worrying that Hearts seem to be getting worse by the day. That in itself pales in comparison to the fact that Ouattara’s job remains secure. That is because he retains the support of the club’s board.

In the past ten days, the club has released three separate statements, asking fans to back the manager. The element of commonality in all three statements, is their plea for fans to buckle up for a long ride. If they know things are not going to change anytime soon, why back the manager?

Well, the simple explanation is that they genuinely believe that Ouattara has the right temperament and ideas to change this team. That is why in June, Dr. Nyaho Nyaho-Tamakloe told JoySports that Ouattara will deliver success.

It is easy to see why Ouattara’s stern approach will impress Dr. Nyaho-Tamakloe. After all, he values discipline above any other attribute. However, the coach will need more than just a strong arm to move Hearts out of this sticky wicket.

If, in seven months, he has not at any point demonstrated the capacity to improve this team, where from the faith that he will suddenly stumble on some ideas and turn things around?