Accra Hearts of Oak midfield gem, Federick Ansah Botchway has revealed how former Black Stars Captain, Stephen "Tornado" Appiah inspired his move to the Phobian club.

The former Liberty Professionals playmaker joined Hearts in 2019 and has become a key player in Coach Nii Odoom set up having excelled in his debut campaign despite the termination of the league.

According to Botchway, Appiah has been his mentor over the past years and wants to follow his footsteps so he can also become a great asset for the nation.

"I'm an Appiah fan and his qualities as an attacking midfielder is certainly undisputed having played for the biggest clubs around the world. Even with his short spell at Hearts people still remember him and that is the legacy I want to leave at Hearts.

"His leadership qualities for the senior national team are unprecedented and had led Ghana on various fronts especially on the world stage.

"He is an inspiration to many young midfielders and has impacted my play tremendously both on and off the field," he told the GNA Sports.

Appiah won the 1996 FA Cup and the 1997 Ghana Premier League trophy with Hearts of Oak before leaving for Italy.

When asked about his ultimate target for Hearts, Botchway said, "my dream is to win the league with Hearts considering the long period of trophy drought and I hope to achieve it in the upcoming season," he said.