The Ghana Premier League powerhouse having dominated the African continent in the late 2000s winning the Champions League and the Confederations Cup have failed to perform in recent times.

Hearts of Oak last season were booted out of the Champions League following a 6-2 aggregate loss to Wydad Casablanca.

In the Confederations Cup, the Phobians suffered a disappointing 4-2 aggregate defeat to JS Saoura.

In the second round of the first leg of the preliminary games of the 2022/23 CAF Confederations Cup, Hearts of Oak suffered a 3-0 defeat to Real Bamako over the weekend.

Addo, who was the top scorer in the Ghana Premier League three times with Hearts, isn’t happy with how his former club has regressed.

“It’s painful to watch Hearts of Oak play in Africa these days,” the retired striker said in an interview with Joy Sports.

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“It’s really painful because you sit back after putting the team up there. You left with the idea that they would be better than where you actually put the team but you realize that the team keeps coming down and dropping.

“Even though we had our time and left, we still have something towards the team, we still have this passion, we still want the team to achieve better than what we achieved but now they are taking a step backwards.”

Addo was part of the last Hearts side to dominate the continent, having won the treble of Ghana Premier League, FA Cup, and CAF Champions League in 2000.

The Accra-based side also won the maiden edition of the CAF Confederations Cup in 2004 after beating domestic rivals Asante Kotoko in the final on penalties.

Meanwhile, Hearts of Oak will hope to overturn a three-goal deficit when they host Real Bamako at the Accra Sports Stadium on Sunday.

The 24-year-old scored twice as the Miners record a 2-2 draw with Bibiani Gold Stars in their final game of the season at DUN’s Park on Sunday.

During the 2001 Ghana Premier League season, Ishmael Addo, who is a now-retired footballer scored 22 goals.

Annor’s first-half brace against Bibiani Gold Stars has thrown the record out the window, bringing his season total to 22 goals.

AshantiGold ends the season in 7th with 47 points, 20 points behind champions Asante Kotoko.

Asante Kotoko striker Franck Mbella Etouga is the second-highest goal scorer in the league, with 21 goals in his first season.