“When a team is positioning for a long time in the opponent’s half, you need players with ideas, players who can find that final pass or create something out of nothing. Alex is exactly that type of player, and it is genuinely difficult without him.”Nebojša Kapor, Hearts of Oak Head Coach
Banso’s ball-playing qualities have been sorely missed in recent weeks, with Kapor pointing to the midfielder’s ability to unlock deep-lying defensive blocks as a quality few others in the squad currently possess.
Still, the coach was careful not to single out any one player as irreplaceable, insisting instead that responsibility for results rests with the collective rather than any individual absentee.
“We cannot say that any one player is bigger than the team. Every player who takes the field for us matters. But when a creative player like Alex is unavailable through injury, it is naturally felt, and we feel for him too.”Nebojša Kapor, Hearts of Oak Head Coach
On the extent and timeline of the injury, Kapor declined to go into specifics, choosing instead to keep the focus on the squad’s ability to adapt rather than speculate on a return date for his midfielder.
“It is not something we can say much about right now. What I can say is that he is a good player, but we do not have him available at the moment, and we have to find solutions without him.”Nebojša Kapor, Hearts of Oak Head Coach