Ghana Premier League giants Accra Hearts of Oak have appointed Abdul Aziz Nurudeen Bandaogo as the new captain of the team in a leadership reshuffle announced on Saturday.
It comes after serving the club for more than three years and being part of the triple-winning team of the 2020–21 season.
He takes over from Eric Esso, who wore the captain’s armband throughout last season’s campaign, while Aziz missed the entire season due to injury.
Nurudeen’s promotion to the prestigious skipper role comes as a result of his exceptional leadership qualities, on-field performances, and deep understanding of the club’s values.
He has already captained the team in two friendly matches played by the club while he was adjudged Man and Match in the Premier League Match against Nsoatraman.
As the second-longest serving player in the Hearts of Oak set up now, the clever midfielder, Nurudeen’s, is considered an integral part of Hearts of Oak’s squad after his return from injury that saw him go for treatment in South Africa.
His consistency, work rate, and ability to inspire his teammates have not gone unnoticed by both his peers and the coaching staff.
As he commands a starting role under Coach Martin Koopman, management deemed it necessary to entrust Nurudeen with the captain’s armband, believing he possesses the leadership qualities required to guide the team to future success.
Aziz Nurudeen Bandaogo joined Accra Hearts of Oak in January 2020 from Vision FC, a team he captained for years at the lower tier league.
He has so far been part of the Hearts’s success story, winning one league trophy, two FA Cups, and a Super Cup.
He will now wear the prestigious armband of the Rainbow Club added to the number 6 jersey, which he picked at the beginning of the season, after dropping the jersey number 24.
As the new captain of Hearts of Oak, Nurudeen Bandaogo now shoulders the responsibility of leading the team on and off the field and will need to draw some imspirations from club legends like Jacob Nettey and Amankwah Mireku, who led the club to win its greatest laurels like the CAF Champions League, the Caf Super Cup and the CAF Confederations Cup.
Nurudeens ability to unite the squad, motivate his teammates, and make wise decisions during critical moments will be crucial in steering the club towards their future ambitions.