Former Hearts of Oak goalkeeper Richard Baidoo has shared his side of the story regarding the club’s 4-0 defeat to JS Saoura in Algeria in the 2021 CAF Confederation Cup, highlighting the unusual circumstances that led to his unexpected start.
In an exclusive interview with Ghanasportspage.com, Baidoo recounted how he was thrust into action for the Confederation Cup match against JS Saoura, despite not training with the goalkeepers before the game.
The Phobians crashed out of the competition after a poor display resulted in a 4-0 defeat against JS Saoura in Algeria, with the Algerians advancing to the group stage at the expense of the Ghanaian champions.
“This is a story I’ve always wanted to explain to the public and Hearts fans, but I haven’t had the chance yet,” Baidoo began.
“When we went to Morocco to play WAC, it was the second keeper (Ayi) who was in poles. We lost to them 6-1 after winning 1-0 in Accra, and we were dropped to the Confederation Cup,” Baidoo shared.
According to Baidoo, he was asked to train with the outfield players because they were not up to the number, and he didn’t really have a feel of the weather in Algeria as a goalkeeper.
The next morning, he was told he was going to be in poles because Attah wasn’t feeling well. Despite not training with the keepers, Baidoo grabbed the opportunity with both hands and started the game.
“I started being used in the Confederation Cup when we played JS Soura. We beat them 2-0 in Accra, and we got to Algeria for the second leg.
“I was asked to train with the outfield players because they were not up to the number so I didn’t really have a feel of the whether there as a goalkeeper and the next morning I was told I was going to be in poles because Attah wasn’t feeling well.
“I saw that as an opportunity despite not training with the keepers. I grabbed the opportunity with my two hands to the extent that Togbe Afede called me to encourage me to give my all”
Unfortunately, the game did not go well for Baidoo, as he conceded four goals, and Hearts of Oak failed to get a single corner kick throughout the game.
The match was dominated by JS Saoura, and Baidoo’s performance was heavily criticized by fans.
“Unfortunately, the game wasn’t live in Ghana. They only watched highlights, but if they had watched the full game, they wouldn’t have insulted me like they did” , He told Ghanasportspage.com
“Funny enough, we didn’t get a single corner kick throughout the game, and their keeper too didn’t get an over ball, so just image.
They beat us 4-0, but the match was on me, it was all about me like we would have conceded even more but the reason many insulted me was the first goal I conceded, it hit something and it passed through my legs and that was what many judged that I was a bad keeper but when you ask the players themselves, they will testify that, if it wasn’t me, we would have heard a different story”
Despite accepting the criticism, Baidoo emphasized that he did his best in a difficult situation and understood the frustration of the fans.
“I accepted their insults because we lost 4-0 without making any attack throughout the match. I couldn’t have said no when the opportunity came for me to start the game despite not training with the keepers to know how the pitch feels as a keeper before the game. I am a professional player. I did my best, but it wasn’t enough.”
Baidoo is currently a free agent after leaving Ghana Premier League champions, Samartex, after the season.
Enjoy the full interview below:
