Former Asante Kotoko defender, Joseph Hendricks, has attributed his success in the Ghana Premier League to the impact of Accra Hearts of Oak.
In an interview with sports journalist Dan Kwaku Yeboah, Hendricks revealed that playing against exceptional forwards from Hearts of Oak helped bring out the best in him during the heated Kotoko-Hearts rivalry.
Hendricks specifically mentioned the influential players from Hearts of Oak, including Charles Taylor, Bernard Don Boatey, Ishmael Addo, and Emmanuel Osei Kuffour, who challenged him and contributed to his growth as a defender.
According to Hendricks, facing such formidable opponents constantly tested his defensive abilities and motivated him to excel on the field.
"Hearts made me great. Charles Taylor, Don Boartey, Osei Kuffour, and Ismael (Addo), made me great. All the time, a good striker reveals a good defender. A good striker will defend how good a defender is. because they always aim at the goal but I won't let you score.
"I played to the extent that Kwabena Yeboah did not know the nickname to give me he finally called me Joe 'gemichek' Hendricks, the rock of Gibraltar. 2004, I won the best defender in Ghana," he said.